China’s growing influence in Africa has been a subject of interest and discussions by experts and observers.
This is because the Asian giant has invested heavily in Africa’s infrastructure, including transportation networks, energy systems and ports, especially in notable projects like the railway projects in Nigeria, Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway in Ethiopia, and the Tema Port expansion in Ghana.
Moreso, China is expanding its role in Africa’s energy sector, particularly in renewable energy with launching of 30 new clean energy projects in Africa, focusing on solar, wind and hydropower.
Other areas are digital infrastructure, including 5G networks, data centres and e-commerce platforms as well as a pledge to create one million jobs across Africa through investments in infrastructure, industrialization and green energy projects.
Though all these have been unsettling some Western interests, but for Africa, experts said the projects are yielding mutual benefit.
Experts claimed that these initiatives demonstrate China’s commitment to Africa’s development and its desire to be a key partner in shaping the continent’s economic future.
At a dialogue on China-Africa cooperation at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos, last week, experts underscored Beijing’s expanding footprint in Africa and its commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships.
The discussions, which centered on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), highlighted China’s approach to partnership, focusing on mutual benefits, global multi-polarity, green energy development and its growing impact on Africa’s transformation.
The dialogue portrayed China not just as an investor but as a strategic partner reshaping Africa’s economic and geopolitical landscape.
Speakers at the event opined that through the BRI and FOCAC, China advances a new model of South-South cooperation rooted in mutual respect, green development, and shared prosperity, offering Africa an alternative path within an emerging multipolar world.
In his address at the event with the theme: “Dialogue on China-Africa Cooperation under BRI and FOCAC, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said that contrary to the belief in some quarters, China’s engagement with Africa is non-colonial and mutually beneficial, with capacity building and infrastructure development at the forefront.
Osaghae noted that China involvement has helped African nations harness natural resources, expand industrial capacity and deliver critical infrastructure.
According to him, China-Africa cooperation is creating a parallel economic network, positioning Africa closer to the center of International trade.
He said: “Unlike Western powers, China’s engagement is presented as non-colonial and mutually beneficial, built on a foundation of capacity building and infrastructure development. Through this partnership, China aims to serve as Africa’s pathway to global integration, emphasizing shared growth rather than exploitation.
“China’s rise is driving the shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world order. Its engagement with Africa offers an alternative governance model and supports reforms in multilateral organizations for fairer global representation. Through FOCAC, China has pledged billions of dollars for African infrastructure, reinforcing its role as a reliable development partner and a reformist in international governance.
“China’s involvement has helped African nations harness natural resources, expand industrial capacity, and deliver critical infrastructure. The private sector has emerged as the main engine of China-Africa trade since 2005, strengthening Africa’s industrial systems. China’s leadership in mining—aided by subsidies, infrastructure coordination, and adaptability—has also created new opportunities amid global economic uncertainties, as both regions seek to diversify away from Western markets.
“China-Africa cooperation is creating a parallel global economic network that positions Africa closer to the center of international trade. This partnership now extends beyond infrastructure to include manufacturing, digital integration, and financial innovation, such as the internationalisation of the Yuan (RMB). The relationship is evolving toward regional value chains and a South-South development model grounded in shared prosperity, industrial dignity, and sovereign agency.”
But, NIIA Acting Director of Research and Studies, Prof. Efem Ubi, at the event, urged Nigerians to maximise the positive aspects of the China-Africa relationship for its economic growth and development.
Speaking on the topic: “China-Africa Trade and Investment Cooperation In An Uncertain Global Order,” Prof. Ubi said that Nigerians and Africans “should begin to prioritise our relationship with the super powers and the emerging economies.”
In doing that, Prof. Ubi said, “We will be able to maximise our relationship with whichever country that is coming to relate with us, irrespective of the nature of the relationship.”
While urging Nigerians “to stop looking at the negativity in our relationship with China,” the international relations expert said: “We should try to be positive about the relationship. What matters in any diplomatic relationship or any political relationship is the countries’ interests. What’s our interest in China expanding interest in Africa? What’s our interest in China’s incursion into Africa?”
He lamented that many times, people focus on the negative aspects of China-Africa relationship.
Saying that Nigeria and Africa need to look at other super powers that exploit their resources without proper agreement with the host countries, Prof. Ubi added: “What we need to do now is to formulate policies in terms of resource sustainability, resource security in whatever relationship we are entering into with any other country, even in Africa.”
Also at the event, Prof. Femi Otnbajo, a research professor at NIIA, lamented that Africa has the problem of weak leaders and weak bureaucracy, leading to its exploitation by external forces.
He noted: “People come into your country and you cannot negotiate properly with them. If you negotiate in such a way that you are the primary beneficiary, there’s nothing that the other country can do.”
Calling on Nigerian leaders and other African leader to resist exploitation by external forces, Prof. Otunbajo said: “Every country has its capacity for exploitation. If you don’t stand up against them, they will take as much as they can.”
Prof. Otunbajo said that the seminar tends to focus on ensuring that Nigeria and Africa are not exploited in any form.
“The Chinese are here, they want things from us, and we want to see how we can ensure that they don’t exploit us, that is our primary concern,” Prof. Otunbajo added.
