The Federal Government has urged Nigeria to focus on exporting higher-value and processed products rather than simply increasing the volume of raw commodities as China’s new zero-tariff policy opens up greater access to its huge market.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, made the call on Friday in Abuja during a seminar on China’s zero-tariff measures and their implications for Africa’s economic structural transformation.
Abdullahi said the policy presented Nigeria with an opportunity to expand its non-oil exports, strengthen agro-industrial production and reduce the country’s dependence on crude oil.
China began implementing zero-tariff treatment for goods from all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations on May 1, 2026. Nigeria is among the 20 African countries that were newly covered by the arrangement, which is being implemented for two years under preferential tariff terms.
The minister stressed that Nigeria must take advantage of the policy by moving beyond the export of unprocessed agricultural produce and mineral resources.
He said greater attention should be given to processing, packaging, quality standards and other forms of value addition that can make Nigerian products more competitive in the Chinese market.
The policy could create opportunities for Nigerian agricultural products such as cocoa, sesame, ginger, cashew nuts, cassava-based products and other processed food items. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also identified several of these products as having prospects in the Chinese market.
The Federal Government believes increased processing could also encourage investment in manufacturing, logistics and other areas of the export value chain while creating jobs and improving incomes for farmers and businesses.
China’s expanded zero-tariff arrangement covers 100 per cent of tariff lines for the 53 eligible African countries, according to Chinese government sources. The measure is intended to lower trade barriers and encourage greater imports from Africa.
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