China’s State-Business Relationship with Nigeria: Neocolonialism or Strategic Cooperation

Abstract

By comparing the colonial era under the British colonization and Chinese presence in Nigeria, this study challenges the so-called “neo-colonialism” regarding Chinese activities in Nigeria and argues that China and Nigeria have a strategic cooperation which pursues each political and economic benefits through analyzing China’s state-business relationship with Nigeria. Regarding studying China–Africa relationship, this study emphasizes to focus on specific African countries’ domestic history, social development, and political and economic institutions. The paper contributes to the existing literature by involving the study on Nigeria’s domestic political situations and social institutions and how these link with Chinese engagement in Nigeria.