The economic relationship between China and Nigeria has grown into one of the most visible partnerships in Africa, with the country becoming the largest builder of infrastructure in Nigeria.
Over the past two decades, both countries have strengthened ties through trade, infrastructure financing, and investment driven by Nigeria’s need for capital and gaps in critical infrastructure industrial capacity and China’s search for markets, resources, and geopolitical influence.
Chinese firms have brought technical expertise, manpower, and financing that have accelerated the execution of large‑scale projects, with China’s direct investment in Nigeria reaching $ 690 million, rising by 103% in 2025.
Aside from this, trade figures highlight that in July 2025, trade between the two countries had risen by 34.7% to $15.48 billion, and by December, trade volume reached 28 billion US dollars, an increase of more than 28 percent year-on-year.
Today, hundreds of Chinese firms operate in Nigeria across a range of sectors, predominantly in construction, but also in manufacturing, telecommunications, and energy. As these companies continue to grow their footprint, they remain central players in Nigeria’s effort to expand and modernize its infrastructure.
Here are the top Chinese construction companies in Nigeria
China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company, specializes in large-scale marine engineering, ports, highways, bridges, dredging, and transport infrastructure.
- CHEC is mainly known for its central role in the development of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, one of West Africa’s largest deep-water ports. Delivered through a public-private partnership, the port is designed to handle large container vessels, reduce congestion at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional maritime hub.
- Beyond maritime infrastructure, the company completed the expansion of the 5.4-kilometre Abuja–Keffi Expressway and the dualisation of the 220-kilometre Keffi–Akwanga–Lafia–Makurdi road, a strategic highway linking the Federal Capital Territory to North-Central Nigeria and improving the movement of goods, commuters and agricultural produce.
- CHEC is also involved in the proposed $3 billion Green Line Rail project, a mass transit corridor planned to connect Marina on Lagos Island to the Lekki corridor.
