NCSP, NACCIMA forge stronger alliance to drive SME-led industrial growth under Nigeria–China partnership

The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening collaboration with Nigeria’s Organized Private Sector following a high-level strategic meeting with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

The engagement centered on harmonising institutional frameworks to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial expansion and position Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as primary beneficiaries of trade, manufacturing, and investment flows between Nigeria and China.

Speaking during the meeting, Director-General of NCSP, Joseph Tegbe, described the Partnership as a structured coordination platform established to drive Nigeria’s economic engagement with China in a disciplined and results-oriented manner.

He explained that the platform provides oversight on initiatives linked to the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), while also advancing priority economic programmes and facilitating catalytic industrial projects across key sectors.

Tegbe stated that the next phase of engagement would focus on harmonising ongoing initiatives, strengthening inter-agency coordination, and instituting clearly defined execution frameworks. According to him, this approach is designed to ensure that Nigerian enterprises—particularly SMEs—benefit more directly and sustainably from bilateral trade and investment opportunities.

The meeting reviewed existing collaboration pipelines and underscored the urgent need to streamline coordination across federal and subnational levels. Participants agreed that improved policy coherence, elimination of fragmentation, and enhanced implementation efficiency are critical to achieving large-scale industrial transformation.

Highlighting emerging trade opportunities, Tegbe drew attention to China’s Zero-Tariff Agreement for African countries, describing it as a strategic gateway for scaling domestic manufacturing, deepening value addition, and strengthening Nigeria’s export competitiveness in both regional and global markets.

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In his remarks, President of NACCIMA and Chairman of the Organized Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), Engr. Jani Ibrahim, commended the NCSP’s structured engagement model and its deliberate emphasis on SMEs as drivers of inclusive industrial growth.

He reaffirmed the readiness of the Organized Private Sector to work closely with NCSP in mobilising enterprises, providing structured policy feedback, and ensuring measurable outcomes at the enterprise level from Nigeria–China economic cooperation.

Both institutions identified practical pathways to integrate SMEs into manufacturing value chains linked to Chinese partnerships. These include expanding agro-processing and value-added production, strengthening technical and vocational education to bridge industrial skills gaps, and promoting geo-cluster industrial parks capable of anchoring regional manufacturing ecosystems.

To sustain momentum, the parties agreed to establish a formal working interface that will translate strategic alignment into measurable outcomes. Priority areas outlined include investment facilitation, SME capacity development, industrial cluster development, and export-oriented growth strategies.

The renewed collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to deliver sustained and inclusive economic growth anchored on industrial productivity and private-sector dynamism