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 National Chemical Engineering International Corporation is a leading Chinese construction and engineering firm that specialises in large‑scale industrial, energy, and petrochemical projects.
In Nigeria, the company has been at the forefront of some of the country’s most ambitious infrastructure and energy ventures.
- CNCEC is a key partner in the $20 billion Ogidigben Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP), collaborating with Alpha Grip Management Company (AGMC), a UAE-based firm, to develop a large-scale industrial and energy hub in Delta State, featuring power plants, fertilizer and petrochemical facilities, and aluminium smelting infrastructure.
- Additionally, CNCEC signed a $1.2 billion contract with the Federal Government to rehabilitate the gas processing plant at the dormant Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) site in Akwa Ibom State.
