On November 18, the thematic forum titled “Cooperation Zones Link the World: Empowering the Cross-Border Development of Supply Chains,” hosted by the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA), was successfully held at the Xiamen International Expo Center. More than 200 representatives from CHINCA, the Lekki Free Zone, and enterprises across the international engineering, production, and supply chain sectors attended the event. Representatives of the Lekki Free Zone presented Nigeria’s distinctive geographical and investment advantages, helping enterprises identify emerging opportunities and supporting Chinese production and supply chain companies in expanding into international markets through coordinated cooperation.

Fang Qiuchen, Chairman of the China International Contractors Association, stated that as the Belt and Road Initiative continues to advance, China’s overseas economic and trade cooperation zones have achieved significant results and become effective platforms for deepening industrial capacity cooperation with Belt and Road partner countries. He added that the Association would promote stronger collaboration and coordinated development between free trade zones and Chinese enterprises expanding overseas, helping China’s overseas economic and trade cooperation zones reach a new stage of development.

Representatives of the Lekki Free Zone noted that Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, benefits from a strong demographic dividend, a vast consumer market, and substantial unmet demand for industrial products. These factors provide enormous opportunities for Chinese enterprises seeking to expand into overseas markets. Located in Lagos State, Nigeria’s economic hub, and adjacent to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Lekki Free Zone offers significant advantages in market access, strategic location, policy support, supporting infrastructure, business services, and security.