Abstract
This chapter, which focuses on Nigeria’s relationship with China with particular reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), notes that the international system is undergoing changes. Emerging powers such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia are strategically positioning themselves through their foreign policies to play prominent roles in the international system. It is in this context that the chapter examines the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) as China’s massive centrepiece development programme aimed at connecting maritime and overland trade, and strengthening economic, political, and cultural interactions with participating countries across the globe. Africa has not only keyed into the BRI, but individual member countries and the African Union have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on BRI cooperation with China. Nigeria signed to be part of the BRI in September 2018. The chapter revealed that even before signing the BRI, China remains the single largest financier of infrastructure in several African countries, including Nigeria. The chapter concludes by stating that the “debt trap” narrative does not hold merit. Even so, it recommends that Nigeria should be strategizing and putting in place astute policies for debt repayment and debt servicing that will not be a burden to the populace or mortgage the future generation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Calabrese, L. (2019, October 15). Making the Belt and Road Initiative work for Africa. Insight. Retrieved March 20, 2020, from https://www.odi.org/blogs/10797-making-belt-and-road-initiative-work-africa
Chan, G. (2018). Understanding China’s new diplomacy: Silk roads and bullet trains. Edward Elgar Publishing. (Google Books).
FOCAC. (2018). Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2019–2021). The 2018 Beijing Summit and the Seventh Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Hu, B. (2019). Belt and road initiative: Five years on implementation and reflection. Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, 11(1–2), 1–10., © 2019 Emerging Markets Institute, Beijing Normal University. https://doi.org/10.1177/0974910119871377
iMFdirect. (2015). China and Africa: Will the honeymoon continue? Retrieved February 22, 2017, from https://blog-imfdirect.imf.org/2015/12/21/china-and-africa-will-the-honeymoon-continue/
Jinping, X. (2017). The governance of China II (p. 543). Foreign Language Press.
Kitchen, N. (2013). Emerging powers in Africa (Executive Summary). LSE Ideas Special Report, SR016 June 2013.
Kulaksız, S. (2019). Financial integration via belt and road initiative: China–Turkey cooperation. Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, 11(1–2), 48–64.
Leslie, A. N. (2020). China-Africa relations: The belt and road initiative and its impact on Africa. African Studies Quarterly, 19(3–4), 1–7.
Nedopil, C. (2021). Investments in the Belt and Road Initiative. IIGF Green BRI Center. www.green-bri.org
Odutola, A. (2020). Nigeria is falling into China’s debt trap. Retrieved March 20, 2021, from https://nairametrics.com/2020/05/21/china-nigeria-loan-nigeria-is-falling-into-chinas-debt-trap/
OECD. (2018). China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the global trade, investment and finance landscape. OECD Business and Finance Outlook 2018.
Proshare. (2020, December). Infrastructure development in Nigeria: The PPP approach. Proshare. Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://www.proshareng.com/news/Nigeria%20Economy/Infrastructure-Development-in-Nigeria%2D%2DThe-PPP-Approach/54712#
PwC. (2017, June). Repaving the ancient silk routes. PwC Growth Markets Centre. Retrieve from PwC. https://www.pwc.comassets.pdf.pwc-gmc-re
Ray, R. & Simmons, B. A. (2020). Tracking China’s overseas development finance. Global Development Policy Centre. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.bu.edu/gdp/2020/12/07/tracking-chinas-overseas-development-finance/
Shaw, T. M., Cooper, A. F., & Chin, G. T. (2009). Emerging powers and Africa: Implications for/from global governance? Politikon, 36(1), 27–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/02589340903155385
Ships and Ports. (2019). Nigeria joins China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Retrieved March 19 2021, from https://shipsandports.com.ng/nigeria-joins-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative/
Solana, J. (2015). China and global governance. Retrieved March 31, 2018, from http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/china-multilateral-institutions-threaten-us-by-javier-solana-2015-03
Taylor, I. (2020). Kenya’s new lunatic express: The standard gauge railway. African Studies Quarterly, 19(3–4), 29–52.
The Belt and Road Forum. (2019, April 27). Joint Communiqué of the Leaders’ Roundtable of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Retrieved August 2, 2020, from http://www.beltandroadforum.org/english/n100/2019/0427/c36-1311.html
Tini, T. (2019). Financing and funding for the Belt and Road Initiative. OttawaLife Magazine. Retrieved May 5, 2020, from https://www.ottawalife.com/article/financing-and-funding-for-the-belt-and-road-initiative?c=1
Tjønneland, E. N. (2015, January). African development: What role do the rising powers play? Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre (NOREF) Report.
Ubi, E. N. (2014). Foreign aid and development in Sino-African relations. Journal of Developing Societies, 30(3), 243–272. https://doi.org/10.1177/0169796X14536971
Ubi, E. N. (2019). China and Africa’s peace and security: Examining China’s role in Nigeria’s insecurity. In C. Hartmann & N. Noesselt (Eds.), China’s new role in African politics: From non-intervention towards stabilization? (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429422393
Ubi, E. N. (2020). Chinese loans and Nigeria’s infrastructural development: Will the Future of Nigeria’s Sovereignty be Guaranteed? Being a Paper presented at the Inaugural Roundtable on Nigeria-China Relations: Reflections on Equal Partners and Prosperity in Solidarity. Held at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja, Friday 29th January, 2021.
Ubi, E. N., & Akinkuotu, O. O. (2014). Nigerian foreign policy and economic development, 1999–2013. International Area Studies Review, 17, 414. https://doi.org/10.1177/2233865914557099
Ubi, E. N., & Hongwu, L. (2018). The involvement of China in the reconstruction of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure. In W. O. Alli (Ed.), Nigeria’s diplomacy of economic development and China (p. 88). Centre for Inter-African Human Development Studies (CIDES).
Ubi, E. N. (2021). US and China in Africa: Why the Competition instead of Cooperation? Being a Discussion paper presented at A Webinar in Partnership with the African Centre for the Study of the US (Wits University)/Wits School of Governance (Johannesburg), Foreign Policy Research Institute (Philadelphia), Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (Lagos) and Africa Policy Institute (Nairobi), August, 2021.
Venkateswaran, L. (2020, August). China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Implications in Africa. ORF Issue Brief No. 395. Observer Research Foundation.
Week in China. (2020). How is Belt and Road being funded? Retrieved August 16, 2020, https://www.weekinchina.com/chapter/belt-and-road/how-is-belt-and-road-being-funded/
White Paper. (2019, September). China and the World in the New Era. Issued by the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China.
Zefei, W. (2021). China-Africa cooperation prospers against Covid-19. Retrieved from Xinhua New. September 24, 2021, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-01/03/c_139638729.htm#:~:text=TikTok%20has%20become%20the%20fastest,%2Dyear%20increase%20of%2033%25
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ubi, E.N. (2023). The Foreign Policy of Emerging Big Powers: Nigeria in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In: Tar, U.A., Wapmuk, S. (eds) Nigerian Foreign Policy 60 Years After Independence. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06882-9_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06882-9_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-06881-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-06882-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)