For the Nigerian political class, all roads seemingly lead to China and other countries worldwide, often in pursuit of foreign direct investments, vain pleasure, or international conferences. Indeed, their charity begins away from home. For business opportunities in particular, China attracts Nigerian leaders like a magnet. The Asian giant also appeals to the Nigerian business community, who love to import everything from matches to pencils and brooms. China’s influence permeates Nigeria: in infrastructure (especially roads and railways), production, project funding through loan finance, telecoms, manufacturing, construction, mining, IT, and even in our kitchens. China simply holds the ace.
President Muhammadu Buhari, during his first four years, travelled or detoured to over 50 countries and visited China twice. One such visit reportedly yielded $6 billion in investments spanning power, solid minerals, agriculture, and rail transportation. About 100 Nigerian businessmen and 300 Chinese firms participated in that forum. However, it remains doubtful whether tangible impacts followed that visit or how many jobs were created afterward from the signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
For example, in the power sector, “North South Power Company Limited had an agreement with Sinohydro Corporation Limited worth $478,657,941 for the construction of a 300-megawatt solar power plant in Shiroro, Niger state.” Additionally, an agreement between “Granite and Marble Nigeria and Shanghai Shibang in the solid mineral sector was worth $55 million.” Despite these agreements, the power sector has remained stagnant, and criminality has infested the solid mineral sector. Most of these agreements have been repudiated, while others have been abandoned. We must not forget the controversial Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investments and Ogun state Free Trade Zone agreement, now a subject of litigation in international arbitration.
President Bola Tinubu has recently returned from the Forum for Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC) hosted by China, bringing back promising deals, at least on paper. He visited the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), Huawei, and Digital Truck to discuss digital literacy, among other topics. President Tinubu also conferred with President Xi Jinping on moving beyond strategic partnership, signing MoUs including those related to Navigation Satellite System, nuclear energy, gas, iron ore, steel project for solid mineral development, Lagos green metro line project, and solar power. Today, the Nigeria-China trade volume is estimated at $23 billion, but much of it favours China to Nigeria’s disadvantage.
Both Buhari and Tinubu merely built upon previous governments’ penchant and passion for China. Meanwhile, instead of attempting to replicate a bit of China in Nigeria, they leave debts in their wake. This has fuelled fears in Nigeria about the possibility of becoming beholden to China, including potentially converting national assets to China’s possession due to Nigeria’s inability to liquidate accumulated debts and liabilities. This concern was recently highlighted when presidential jets were seized in execution of a court injunction over debts owed by a sub-national government. Curiously, it was not clear whether President Tinubu discussed this matter with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Doubts, confusion, and lack of transparency have also plagued partnership agreements Nigeria signs with China. Some question their authenticity, and the quality of goods and services China provides. Others blame Nigerians for negotiating in self-interest instead of being patriotic; these Nigerian representatives allegedly short-change Nigeria, inflate contract values, fail to provide counter-funding, and engage in under-the-table shady deals.
During a recent visit to China, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali, indirectly called out the Chinese in this respect through a social media post. His journalistic instincts questioned the cozy, luxurious comfort of the first-class section of the train he boarded. He compared that to the China-built trains in Nigeria and asked a rhetorical question: why didn’t the Chinese give us this same quality? The question is legitimate, but perhaps, the governing APC, and top government officials like Rotimi Amaechi, the former Minister of Transportation who inked the agreements on behalf of the Nigerian people and superintended over the China railway projects in Nigeria for eight years, should answer that question and others agitating the minds of Nigerians over the trade misnomers between Nigeria and China.
There is nothing wrong with Nigeria looking towards the East, particularly China, but Nigerians want an equal trade balance relation, not one skewed in favour of one party. The MoUs should be transparently executed so that the much-talked-about job creation and development through these means become a reality. As much as possible, China should be concerned about their image in Africa and not be seen as the second coming of imperialism on the continent. China should be intentional in helping to build Africa and be mindful of its reputation. If colonialism was imposed on Africa, the continent should not willingly invite Chinese economic colonialism upon itself through trade imbalance, opaque business deals, and the dumping of low-quality products.
Nigerians want to see China’s much-vaunted technological advancement replicated in Africa through mutual collaboration. However, we all must shun corruption and embrace transparency moving forward. China should not take advantage of the greed of a few unpatriotic Nigerians. Optics matter. To think that Nigeria is shunning the West and leaning towards China because of the intricate web of corruption woven around their relationship is damning. Already, there is a flurry of cultural exchanges occurring; openness and sincerity should be added values in the Nigeria-China engagement.
* Zainab Suleiman Okino is the Chairman of Blueprint Editorial Board and a syndicated columnist. She can be reached via: zainabokino@gmail.com
