NACCIMA Seeks Stronger Nigeria-China Trade Ties Through Hainan Free Trade Port
Oru Leonard
The President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Engr. Jani Ibrahim, mni, OON, has called on Nigerian businesses to take advantage of the emerging trade and investment opportunities offered by China’s Hainan Free Trade Port to expand the country’s non-oil exports and access wider Asian markets.
Ibrahim said the free trade port’s zero-tariff arrangements, special customs procedures, tax incentives and business-friendly policies provide significant opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs, exporters and investors seeking to strengthen their presence in the Chinese and Asian markets.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2026 Hainan Free Trade Port International Investment Cooperation Promotion Conference held on Thursday, November 5, in Haikou, China.
The conference, organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Hainan Provincial Committee, in collaboration with other organisations, brought together government officials, international trade representatives and business leaders to explore investment partnerships and strengthen global economic cooperation.
Ibrahim, who also serves as President of the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI), led a delegation of Nigerian business leaders and NACCIMA members to the international engagement.
He emphasised that Nigeria must strategically position its private sector to benefit from Hainan’s trade incentives, particularly in promoting agricultural products, manufactured goods, processed commodities and other non-oil exports.
According to him, NACCIMA intends to deepen engagement with Hainan’s government and business community to facilitate Nigerian access to mainland China and other Asian markets.
He also proposed the establishment of a Nigerian warehouse in Hainan and a corresponding Chinese warehouse in Nigeria to strengthen trade logistics, improve market access and facilitate the movement of goods between both countries.
The conference attracted several high-profile personalities, including Hainan Province Vice Governor, Zhao Feng; Chairperson of CCPIT Hainan, Ning Hongwen; Morocco’s Ambassador to China, Abdelkader El Ansari; Nigeria’s Consul General in Guangzhou, Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas; and Chief of Staff to the President of the Liguria Region, Massimiliano Nannini.
Speaking at the event, Vice Governor Zhao Feng said the Hainan Free Trade Port was strategically conceived under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping to promote international investment, trade and economic development.
He reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to sustaining policies and incentives that would make Hainan an attractive destination for international investors and business partnerships.
Nigeria’s Consul General in Guangzhou, Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas, also encouraged Chinese businesses operating in Hainan to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria, particularly in technology transfer, industrial development and factory establishment.
She highlighted Nigeria’s strategic position as a gateway to West Africa and other African markets, drawing parallels with Hainan’s role as an entry point into mainland China and the wider Asian region.
The Consul General further noted that Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were aimed at creating an environment conducive to investment and private sector growth.
As part of activities marking the engagement, the Nigerian delegation visited several industrial facilities in Haikou to gain firsthand knowledge of China’s manufacturing capabilities and industrial development models.
Among the facilities visited was Hubei United Investment Group Co. Ltd., a diversified company involved in industrial park development and management, smart urban construction, infrastructure investment and resource development.
The delegation also toured a large-scale coconut processing factory, where they observed various production lines involved in the manufacture of coconut juice and related products.
Another major facility visited was Hainan Huayan Collagen Technology Co. Ltd., a national high-tech enterprise specialising in the research, development, production and global distribution of bioactive peptides and hydrolysed collagen.
The industrial visits provided Nigerian business representatives with opportunities to explore potential areas of cooperation, technology exchange, industrial partnerships and value-chain development.
NACCIMA’s participation in the international conference signals renewed efforts by Nigeria’s organised private sector to strengthen commercial relations with China, attract foreign investment and diversify the country’s export base beyond crude oil.
The initiative is also expected to create opportunities for Nigerian businesses to explore international partnerships, improve local processing capacity and position made-in-Nigeria products for greater competitiveness in global markets.
(Mrs Madinat Adigun-Oladotun, National PRO, NACCIMA, November 7, 2026)
