Welcome to the side chick club
China is forming a questionable romance with Nigeria
Arise and Shine, Big Brains. It’s an interesting day to be a Nigerian, but I’ll leave you to decide whatever “interesting” means when you’re done reading this edition.
- Margaret
Word count: ~ 1, 000
Reading time ~ 5 mins
Let’s get into today’s edition:
China is forming a questionable romance with Nigeria
Trump is cutting Harvard’s share of the national moi moi
The Big Deal
China is forming a questionable romance with Nigeria
We all have that one ex who got away (Not Miss Margaret, though; y’all stay safe). For China, that “ex” is the United States of America— aka the world’s second-largest trading nation—and according to the oldest heartbreak guidebook, when you lose the “one”, you settle for plan B.
On April 9, Donald Trump imposed a nasty 145% tariff on Chinese goods, and since then, China has been exploring all its available rebound options. Nigeria is the newest addition to China’s side chick club. As it stands, our trading market suddenly looks better than hot bread to Chinese manufacturers.
Importation orders from the U.S. are dropping rapidly, forcing China to explore all available options. Some Chinese businesses said 60 to 70% of their clients are in America, and that’s a recipe for disaster with Trump’s tariff. Some of these U.S. clients haven’t completely ghosted China, but they’ve pulled the ultimate “let’s take a break” card. No new orders, no money, and a whole lot of awkward waiting.
The thing about China is it has never been one to beg. Sticking to that reputation, the Asian powerhouse has started shipping more electronics, vehicles, reactors, and other items straight to Nigeria. In 2023, Nigeria imported over $2.8 billion worth of electrical goods and over $2 billion in machinery from China. By September 2024, our total trade with them hit ₦25.7 trillion. And somehow, their imports from us also jumped by 36%, suggesting that the relationship is lowkey mutually beneficial.
Why is this a big deal?
China shifting its export focus to Nigeria means we’re about to see a serious flood of cheap Chinese goods. Think electronics, machines, cars, and even those “The Bluetooth dewise is ready to pearl” speakers. On the surface, that sounds like a good deal because who doesn’t like cheap things? But there’s also a chance it could affect local manufacturers who are already playing Survivor of the Fittest because of poor electricity supply, high taxes, and import dependency.
For instance, it would be almost impossible for a Nigerian electronics brand to compete with a Chinese brand with bulk production, government support, and generous prices. Even small businesses like wig and clothing vendors might suffer huge losses, given that Chinese manufacturers are doubling down on their marketing on platforms like TikTok and attracting Nigerians with cheaper prices. Nigeria already has an importation dependency problem, and this influx of cheap imports might worsen it.
As far as trading relationships go, China and Nigeria have yet to find a balance that completely benefits both economies. At the moment, they’re sending us everything while only importing a limited range of items from us. Even though they imported more from us in 2024, it’s still far from the level of trading balance Nigeria should enjoy from a country like China. If President Tinubu has learnt anything from his twin flame, Trump, he will negotiate new trading ties that make more sense for Nigeria.
Nigeria might be enjoying this trading situationship with China right now, but we hope the federal government is tightening up loose ends.
Trump is cutting Harvard’s share of the national moi moi
Is it too soon to say Americans and Nigerians are stuck with the same capital letter T problem? The students and educators at the world-renowned Harvard University are the most recent victims of the Trump-led administration.
Harvard just found out that under Trump, disagreeing with the government comes with a very expensive price tag.
On Monday, April 14 the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in funding meant for Harvard because the university refused to follow a long list of his demands. Some of those demands include closing its diversity offices, changing how it hires and admits people, and even helping immigration officials screen international students. But Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, said the most expensive no in history. In a letter to students and staff, he said the government can’t tell universities what to teach or how to function.
The response may have been iconic, but Trump administration wasn’t having it. They claimed Harvard had an “entitlement mindset” and was ignoring antisemitism on campus. After blocking the university’s $2.2 billion, they blocked another $60 million in government contracts.
World leaders like former US President, Barrack Obama are throwing their weight behind Harvard, but these funding cuts could affect student aid and the futures of many international students.
One thing about Trump is that his head is stronger than coconut, and Harvard might eventually have to play by his rules.
Your next big read
→I Tried to Survive on Nigeria’s ₦70k Minimum Wage for a Month. I Only Lasted 14 days: Since the Nigerian government announced the new ₦70,000 minimum wage, we’ve been curious: can anyone actually live on that amount for a full month in this economy?
→7 Nigerians on When Their Kindness Was Taken for Granted: From borrowing money for them, to raising someone like your own child, these stories from seven Nigerians are here to remind you that sometimes, ingratitude can be its own heartbreak
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This Week’s Big Question
“24 hours in Tinubu’s seat; who are you sacking?”
Marvella’s response - “I’m sacking Tinubu himself. I’ll make sure the impeachment happens within 2 hours so he won’t have a seat to return to.”
You can also share your response here, and if it’s as interesting as Marvella’s, we’ll feature it in the next edition.
Take a quiz before you leave
How Well Do You Know Nigeria’s Current Affairs? (Edition 4): Share your results and tag us on social media.
Play catch up
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We know a little delulu can be good sometimes, but that’s not the reason for anyone to baptise themselves in it. The Rivers’ Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, might have taken the cope too far and is now reaching for what’s not there.