How US-China tensions could open doors for Nigeria, WTO chief explains
World Trade Organisation Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says rising trade tensions between the United States and China could create new opportunities for Nigeria if the country actively positions itself to attract global investment and supply chains.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Okonjo-Iweala said geopolitical rivalry and trade restrictions have pushed companies to rethink their dependence on a single manufacturing hub, leading many to adopt “China+1” sourcing strategies.
She said these shifts present a chance for Nigeria to secure new investments that could create jobs, strengthen manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.
“There is an opportunity now to attract these supply chains,” she said, stressing that Nigeria must deliberately market itself to investors. “Everything we can do to showcase Nigeria as a country worthy of investment is what we should be doing.”
Okonjo-Iweala said Nigeria needs to move beyond economic stabilisation and focus more directly on job creation, noting that reforms currently underway must translate into employment and industrial growth. She urged the government to identify sectors where Nigeria has strong potential and actively court investors from major economies, including China and the United States.
“As companies seek to diversify supply chains, a lot of that movement is still within Asia,” she said, adding that Nigeria should aim to attract a meaningful share of that relocation, even if it cannot capture all of it. Okonjo-Iweala highlighted renewable energy and textiles as examples of industries where Nigeria could manufacture locally instead of importing finished products.
“Let’s build solar panels in Nigeria. We are importing, but we can also manufacture,” she said. “In fashion, let them come to invest. Many of the textiles we wear are not made in Nigeria; they are imported.”
She said Nigeria’s success would depend on having clear strategies to target.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
