China mulls establishment of electric vehicle factories in Nigeria

Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai has said plans are underway to establish electric vehicle factories and other manufacturing ventures in Nigeria.

Dunhai spoke during a courtesy visit to Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, according to a statement on Sunday by Segun Tomori, special assistant on media to the minister.

The envoy emphasised the imperative of deeper collaboration between China and Nigeria to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector through the establishment of electric vehicle factories in the country.

Dunhai said Nigeria is a great country blessed with tremendous natural resources, noting that China has always placed the country in a very pivotal position in its foreign policy.

He recalled the meeting between presidents Bola Tinubu and Xi Jinping during Tinubu’s visit to China, where both leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership”.

“Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing,” he said.

“We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s eight priority areas, notably economic diversification through solid minerals.”

Dunhai said the embassy has admonished Chinese firms operating in Nigeria to abide by rules and regulations, carry out corporate social responsibility and adhere to environmental and safety standards.

He added that the Chinese authorities have zero tolerance for illegal mining, expressing their readiness to work with the Nigerian government to bring suspected culprits to justice.

In his response, Alake said Nigeria appreciates its long-standing relations with China, acknowledging that most Chinese firms operate within legal and regulatory frameworks.

However, he expressed concern over the actions of a few operators tarnishing China’s image, referencing a recent viral video involving a Chinese national allegedly bribing local security agents.

“We’ve taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals,” the minister said.

“While isolated, such incidents undermine the good work of many compliant Chinese firms. We need your cooperation in ensuring that such culprits are brought to justice,” the minister said.

Alake underscored the effect of the mining marshals set up to tackle illegal mining, saying the unit has sent the right signal across the sector, heightened awareness of the menace and, in turn, improved regulatory compliance among both local and foreign operators.

Alake reiterated that Nigeria welcomes serious investors, stressing that investments in the nation’s mining industry are now focused on local value addition.

“For years, our minerals have been exported raw to fuel foreign industrialisation. That must change,” he said.

“We now prioritise local processing to drive Nigeria’s development. For instance, with the abundance of lithium, we want to see local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries,” he said.

The minister urged Dunhai to encourage Chinese investors to commit to full-cycle investments — from extraction to processing — within Nigeria.

He pointed out Nigeria’s large market and the potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through electric vehicle production.

The envoy expressed support for Nigeria’s local value-addition policy, stating that one of Jinping’s key priorities is promoting African industrialisation.