The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) has underscored the deepening significance of China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), describing it as a transformative force in Africa’s development and the global geopolitical order.
At a high-level dialogue held in Lagos, experts, mostly from the institute, examined China’s engagement with Africa, framing it as a partnership built on mutual benefit, shared prosperity, and respect for sovereignty.
Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Eghosa Osaghae, observed that China’s evolving role in Africa signals a deliberate shift toward a more balanced and multipolar global order, adding that Beijing’s approach stands out for its focus on capacity building, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth rather than exploitative extraction.
The dialogue highlighted five key dimensions of this partnership.
First, China’s model of engagement was presented as non-colonial and mutually beneficial, offering Africa a platform for global integration while promoting local ownership of development projects.
Second, China’s rise is catalysing global multipolarity and governance reform, challenging the dominance of Western institutions and promoting fairer representation in multilateral organisations. Through FOCAC, China has committed billions of dollars to African infrastructure, positioning itself as both a reliable development ally and an advocate for reform in global governance.
Discussions also focused on economic transformation, with emphasis on how Chinese investment has enhanced Africa’s industrial capacity, infrastructure, and resource management. The private sector, identified as the main engine of China-Africa trade since 2005, has deepened economic linkages, especially in mining and manufacturing.
The DG also observed the emergence of a parallel economic ecosystem linking African and Chinese markets. This ecosystem is expanding beyond infrastructure into manufacturing, digital economy, and financial innovation, including the growing internationalisation of the Yuan (RMB).
Senior Research Fellow, NIIA, Dr Rita Agu, alongside Research Fellow, Mayowa Albert, emphasised green development as a central pillar of future cooperation. Aligning with global sustainability agendas such as the Paris Agreement, the UN 2030 Agenda, and Africa’s Agenda 2063, hry stated that both partners are advancing joint projects in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green technology.
According to Osaghae, these trends collectively redefine China not merely as an investor but as a strategic development partner committed to Africa’s long-term transformation.
“Through the BRI and FOCAC, China is deepening a new model of South-South cooperation anchored on mutual respect, green growth, and shared prosperity,” he said.
African policymakers were also urged to strategically engage with China’s expanding influence in ways that safeguard national interests while maximising developmental opportunities across the continent.
