China To Establish Electric Vehicle Factories In Nigeria — Envoy

The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Yu Dunhai, has stressed the need for deeper collaboration between China and Nigeria to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector through the establishment of electric vehicle (EV) factories in the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, at the weekend, Ambassador Dunhai described Nigeria as a great country endowed with vast natural resources. He reiterated China’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, noting that Nigeria holds a pivotal place in China’s foreign policy.

A statement issued by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, recalled the recent high-level engagement between Presidents Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Xi Jinping during President Tinubu’s state visit to China. Ambassador Dunhai noted that the meeting resulted in an agreement to elevate relations between both countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening new avenues for cooperation.

“Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing. We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s eight priority areas, particularly economic diversification through solid minerals,” the Ambassador said.

He added that the Chinese Embassy and government continuously urge Chinese companies operating in Nigeria to comply with local laws, implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and adhere to environmental and safety standards. Emphasising China’s zero tolerance for illegal mining, Ambassador Dunhai reaffirmed Beijing’s readiness to work with Nigerian authorities to prosecute offenders.

In his response, Dr Alake acknowledged the long-standing relationship between both countries and recognised that most Chinese firms operate within Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework. However, he expressed concern over the activities of a few operators tarnishing China’s image, referencing a recent viral video showing a Chinese national allegedly bribing local security agents.

“We have taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals. While these cases are isolated, they threaten to undermine the good work of many compliant Chinese firms. We seek your cooperation in ensuring that the culprits are brought to justice,” Alake stated.

He also highlighted the significant impact of the recently launched Mining Marshals tasked with curbing illegal mining, saying the initiative has sent the right signal to the sector, improved compliance, and raised awareness among both local and foreign stakeholders.

Dr Alake reiterated that Nigeria is open for business, but only to serious investors, and noted that the focus is now on value addition within the country.

“For too long, our minerals have been exported in raw form to drive foreign industrialisation. That era must end. We now prioritise local processing to drive Nigeria’s economic development. With our abundant lithium reserves, for example, we want to see local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries,” he explained.

He called on Ambassador Dunhai to encourage Chinese investors to embrace full-cycle investment—from extraction to processing—within Nigeria, citing the country’s large market and ambition to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through EV production.

In his closing remarks, Ambassador Dunhai welcomed Nigeria’s local value-addition policy and noted that one of President Xi Jinping’s strategic priorities is promoting African industrialisation. He revealed that plans were already underway to establish electric vehicle factories and other manufacturing ventures in Nigeria.