China to Remove Tariff on Imported Goods from Nigeria, 52 Other Countries

• China plans to remove tariffs on imports from African countries with which it has diplomatic ties, including Nigeria and 52 other nations
• This policy shift aims to strengthen economic relations and comes as Chinese exports to Africa rise sharply thereby improving collaboration
• Meanwhile, rising trade tensions with the US and President Trump’s protectionist tariffs have led to uncertainty about the future of trade agreements

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

China has revealed plans to remove tariffs on all imports from African nations with which it has diplomatic ties, marking a significant change in its trade policy.

This move is expected to enhance economic collaboration, positioning China as a leading trade and investment partner for the continent, Channels reported.

The initiative includes Nigeria and 52 other African nations but excludes Eswatini, the only African country that acknowledges Taiwan’s sovereignty.

The declaration was made through a joint statement following a high-level meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African officials in Changsha, Hunan province.

This decision greatly broadens a previous policy that only provided zero-tariff benefits to the continent's least-developed nations.

In a letter to African foreign ministers, Chinese President Xi Jinping confirmed that all 53 African countries with official diplomatic relations with Beijing will now receive "zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines."

The expansion of this policy follows earlier promises made during the China-Africa summit in September, where 33 of the least-developed African nations were granted duty-free access to the Chinese market.

The impact of the policy is already noticeable, with Chinese exports to Africa increasing by 12.4% in the first five months of the year, reaching a record 963 billion yuan ($134 billion), as reported by China’s Foreign Ministry.

This offer comes at a time of rising trade tensions between African countries and the United States.

In the joint China-Africa statement, both parties urged nations, particularly the US, to "return to the right track" and resolve trade disputes through dialogue rooted in mutual respect.

The appeal comes after President Trump's recent protectionist actions, which imposed significant new tariffs on several African nations.

These tariffs included rates as high as 50% on imports from Lesotho, 47% from Madagascar, 40% from Mauritius, 38% from Botswana, and 31% from South Africa, the continent's most industrialised country and largest exporter to the U.S.

More than 30 African nations face the potential loss of their duty-free access under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a crucial trade agreement that has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years.

President Donald Trump had indicated plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on all of America's trading partners, creating uncertainty about the future of AGOA and similar preferential trade programs.

At the same time, China’s new proposal positions it as a more stable and reliable trade partner, especially as the global trade landscape becomes increasingly divided.

Nigeria affected as Trump announces reciprocal tariffs

Legit.ng reported that United States President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of 50% on all imports from Lesotho.

The imposition is the second highest rate of any country in the world after China.

As reported by BBC, the tiny southern African country has a large trade surplus with the US, mostly from diamonds and textiles, including jeans.

Source: Legit.ng