China\u2019s imports from Nigeria increased by 36.1 per cent between January and September as bilateral trade between the two countries reached $15.1bn within the period, the acting Consul-General of China, Mr Jin Mingyu, has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mingyu disclosed this in Lagos during a civic reception organised to welcome the arrival of the first vessel on COSCO\u2019s new route to dock at Lekki Port.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stated that as of September, Lekki Port\u2019s 2024 cargo throughput exceeded 160,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, adding that the Chinese Government looks forward to seeing more merchant ships transporting unique Nigerian products to China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn 2023, bilateral trade between China and Nigeria reached $22.56bn, with Nigeria ranking as China\u2019s third-largest trading partner in Africa. From January to September 2024, China-Nigeria trade volume totaled $15.1bn, with China\u2019s imports from Nigeria increasing by 36.1 per cent year-on-year,\u201d Mingyu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He highlighted that the growth of China-Nigeria trade relies mainly on collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the Chinese government hopes to see multinational enterprises working together to facilitate trade, build a modern port and logistics network in Nigeria, as well as share access to the vast Chinese market, and realise the benefits of development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stated that both countries can seize the historic opportunity that globalisation offers to developing countries worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, the arrival of EA CENTAURUS marks a breakthrough for Lekki Port in international shipping and will inject fresh momentum into Nigeria\u2019s economic development, expanding the boundaries of cooperation between China and Nigeria in various sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is a landmark project for Chinese companies in investment, and construction, as well as a successful model of multinational cooperation for shared success in Nigeria. COSCO, a global leader in the shipping and logistics industry, has launched a new route in partnership with Lekki Port, symbolising further breakthroughs in China-Nigeria collaboration in port construction and operation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Managing Director of Lekki Port, Du Ruagang, stated that the berthing of EA Centaurus, which marks the first of bi-weekly calls to Lekki Deep Seaport by COSCO, ZIM and ONE shipping lines, is a symbol of the company\u2019s unwavering dedication to positioning Lekki Port as a transformative force in the Nigerian maritime industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n