Exploring Chinese Aid and Nigeria-China: Relations 1999-2015

This work set out to analyze the nature and impact of Chinese aid on Nigeria-China relations. It was also carried out to explore the extent which Chinese aid influences foreign policy and trade relations between Nigeria and China. The study sample is Nigeria as they are high recipients of Chinese aid and soft loans in Sub-Sahara Africa. Data was collected from secondary sources such as journal articles, book chapters, memos and government official reports. Descriptive statistics was adopted in forms of tables, charts, graphs and bar charts which were utilized to describe the trend of the result. Hence, the research methodology is a mixed method, using both qualitative and quantitative methods and relying on secondary data collection. Theoretically, the thesis is based on interdependence theory. It helps to explore Chinese aid and Nigeria-China relations in three perspectives. The first is promotion and means to secure strategic geographical interest, secondly is in exchange of resources, and lastly to a market for Chinese goods in Nigeria. The study affirms the secretive nature of data on Chinese aid to recipient countries, although, the amount of Chinese aid is growing in countries with mineral resources in Africa. The impact of Chinese assistance on trade and economy also seems to have more negative than positive on trade with Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa countries. The study concludes that interdependence between China and Nigeria is growing domestically as both sides need each other for long-term strategic interrelations markets despite the imbalances