The impact of Belt, Road on Nigeria is huge

The relationship between China and Nigeria is quite cordial, which is reflected in their economic and trade cooperation. Trade between Nigeria and China reached $18.1 billion in 2014 before falling to $11.1 billion in 2016.

Bilateral trade began expanding after the establishment of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation in 2000, which created an important platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation between African states, including Nigeria, and China. Nigeria's exports to China consist of raw materials such as agricultural, industrial and mineral products, including crude oil, wood, leather and tantalum, while China exports finished goods such as industrial products, railway coaches, apparatus for transmission and semi-knocked down vehicles to Nigeria. Still, Nigeria has a large trade deficit with China.

Nigeria has been watching with keen interest the Belt and Road Initiative, which President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013. But how can Nigeria strengthen cooperation with China through the initiative?