Olesya N. Emelyanova China’s Economic Interests in the Republic of Nigeria as Part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Strategy

DOI: 10.38050/2078-3809-2025-17-4-57-78

Abstract

In recent decades, the People's Republic of China has been consistently increasing its presence in Africa, targeting it for international trade expansion. The Republic of Nigeria is an important partner, the most populated on the continent, with large hydrocarbon reserves and potential for domestic market development. The African continent's importance has been significantly growing in recent years; thus, it is worth tracking the dynamics of the rapidly changing balance of power in the region, including the changing role of China's influence. The paper may also be useful as supplementary material for students in a course on East Asian economics.

The material provides an analysis of China's foreign economic strategy in Nigeria through the Chinese concept of "One Belt, One Road", in particular the part of the initiative that relates to the "Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century". The purpose of this study is to identify the features of economic cooperation between China and Nigeria, as well as the areas for improvement. In addition, this study sets the goal to determine the role of this cooperation in the overall foreign economic strategy of China and the instruments of economic policy pursued by China in Nigeria.

Keywords: China (PRC), Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, ODA, investment, international trade, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, development cooperation.

JEL: F13, F21, F35, O19, O55.

For citation: Emelyanova, O.N. (2025) China’s Economic Interests in the Republic of Nigeria as Part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Strategy. Scientific Research of Faculty of Economics. Electronic Journal, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 57-78. DOI: 10.38050/2078-3809-2025-17-4-57-78.

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