Business

NESG Urges Diversion of Nigeria’s Trade Amidst U.S and China Tariffs War

Given Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported manufactured goods and raw materials, NESG warns that the country could face significant economic challenges if these trade tensions escalate further

Published

1 year ago

March 13, 2025

OCHEFA

573 Views

▪︎Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has stressed the need for Nigeria to divert its trade pattern towards countries that are unaffected by the U.S. tariffs.

The NESG made the call in its latest Foreign Trade Alert: 2024Q4 & Full Year 2024.

The report highlighted Nigeria’s vulnerability to global trade disruptions, particularly in its import-dependent industrial sector.

“The trade war between the U.S. and China needs to be hedged against. This would reduce tariff-induced increases in import bills, considering that the country’s import-dependent non-oil industrial sector is highly vulnerable,” the report noted.

The United States imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports in February 2025, with plans to increase it by another 10% in April.

In retaliation, China announced additional tariffs of 10-15% on certain U.S. imports starting March 10, 2025, along with a series of export restrictions targeting designated U.S. entities.

These measures are expected to disrupt global supply chains, slow world trade growth, and drive up the prices of globally traded commodities.

Given Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported manufactured goods and raw materials, NESG warns that the country could face significant economic challenges if these trade tensions escalate further.

China remained Nigeria’s largest trading partner in Q4 2024, followed by India, Belgium, the U.S., and France.

The most imported commodities during the period included refined petroleum products, sugar cane, and spare parts.

However, Nigeria’s reliance on imports, particularly from China, makes it susceptible to price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions stemming from the U.S.-China trade conflict.

Related Topics:Featured Nigeria trading partners US and China Tariffs War

Up Next

MTN Nigeria moving headquarters to Eko Atlantic

Don't Miss

Tax Reform Bills: Reps retain 7.5% VAT, reject increase to 15% by 2030

Click to comment

Business

Court jails illegal forex dealer two months

The EFCC stated that the defendant pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him.

Published

13 hours ago

August 5, 2026

OCHEFA

16 Views

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a bureau de change operator, Dabo Malam Ardi, to two months’ imprisonment for engaging in illegal foreign exchange transactions.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in a statement on its official X account , said that Ardi was arraigned before Justice F. N. Ogazi by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC on a one-count charge bordering on illegal foreign exchange transactions.

The charge read, “That you, Dabo Malam Ardi, sometime in 2026 in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, engaged in a foreign exchange transaction other than through the official foreign exchange market and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 11(1)(a) of the National Economic Intelligence Committee (Establishment, etc.) Act, 1994, and punishable under Section 11(2) of the same Act.”

The EFCC stated that the defendant pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him.

Following the guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, S. I. Suleiman, reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

Justice Ogazi subsequently found Ardi guilty and sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment, with an option of an N80,000 fine.

Business

Zenith Bank sends cyber-attack alerts to customers

It warned customers to ignore suspicious emails, text messages, and phone calls requesting sensitive banking information.

Published

13 hours ago

August 5, 2026

OCHEFA

17 Views

Zenith Bank has confirmed that hackers gained unauthorised access to part of its database, exposing limited customer information.

The bank says funds and accounts remain safe, and its banking systems have not been compromised.

The disclosure came in an email to customers on Tuesday, part of a coordinated global campaign targeting organisations across multiple sectors.

Zenith Bank said the attackers accessed a limited amount of customer information, including email addresses and phone numbers.

According to the bank, there is no evidence that hackers reached customers’ accounts, passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords (OTPs), or funds.

The statement reassured customers that mobile and internet banking platforms, ATMs, and digital channels remain secure and fully operational.

Zenith Bank said it immediately activated its incident response protocols and cybersecurity safeguards after detecting the breach.

Investigations are ongoing, with security teams working to determine the full scope and strengthen protections against future threats.

The lender urged customers to stay vigilant against phishing attempts that often follow data breaches. It warned customers to ignore suspicious emails, text messages, and phone calls requesting sensitive banking information.

As reported by TheCable, Zenith Bank also reminded customers never to disclose passwords, PINs, OTPs, card details, or other security credentials to anyone, regardless of claims that the request comes from the bank. Cybersecurity experts have long warned that stolen contact details are often used for targeted phishing campaigns.