By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Nigeria’s fisheries sector has received a major export boost following a new agreement with China granting eligible Nigerian aquatic products zero-tariff access to the Asian country’s 1.4 billion-consumer market.
The development followed the signing of the Protocol on Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Wild Aquatic Products in Abuja, with the agreement expected to expand Nigeria’s agricultural exports, increase foreign exchange earnings and create jobs.
The protocol was signed by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, on behalf of the Chinese government, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Vincent Isegbe, for the Federal Government.
Dunhai said the agreement provided the institutional framework for implementing China’s zero-tariff policy for the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
He explained that the protocol established clear inspection and quarantine requirements for Nigerian wild aquatic products destined for China, providing a framework to facilitate increased trade between both countries.
According to him, the arrangement would support the development of Nigeria’s fisheries sector, expand agricultural trade and boost the country’s export earnings.
The development also drew the attention of the Minister of Power and Director-General of the Nigeria-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Joseph Tegbe, who called for its swift implementation.
Tegbe, after meeting Dunhai, said the agreement would only achieve its full potential if Nigerian exporters moved quickly to take advantage of the new market access.
He said the opportunity could translate into higher exports, increased foreign exchange earnings and more jobs for Nigerians.
Tegbe noted that eligible Nigerian aquatic products could now enter China’s vast consumer market without tariffs, describing the development as the kind of benefit strategic partnerships should deliver.
He said such partnerships should translate into markets, investment and prosperity for Nigerians.
Dunhai, meanwhile, said the China-Nigeria Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was entering a new phase of high-quality development under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He identified the power sector as critical to livelihoods and a major pillar of Nigeria’s economy, describing it as an important area of bilateral cooperation.
The envoy said China was ready to work with Nigeria to deepen cooperation in power infrastructure, renewable energy and other areas, while maximising the benefits of the zero-tariff policy.
He said the approach would further strengthen economic and trade relations between both countries.
For Nigeria, the agreement now shifts attention from diplomacy to implementation, with government agencies, producers and exporters expected to meet the required standards and take advantage of the newly opened Chinese market.
The development comes as Nigeria seeks to diversify its export base, strengthen non-oil earnings and create jobs through increased access to international markets.
