The Pan-African Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (PAISCI) and Lagos Free Zone have opened discussions on a strategic partnership that could create a new channel for Chinese manufacturers seeking to establish operations in Nigeria and access the wider African market.
The development followed a strategic engagement between a PAISCI delegation led by its Executive Director, Dr. Segun Ogunnaike, and the management of Lagos Free Zone on Thursday, September 10, 2026, during a visit to the Zone.
The meeting explored how PAISCI’s growing network in China could be leveraged to connect Nigerian industrial opportunities with the vast manufacturing ecosystem in Ningbo, a major Chinese manufacturing hub with more than 100,000 manufacturers.
The proposed collaboration could position Lagos Free Zone as a preferred destination for Chinese companies seeking to establish manufacturing operations in Nigeria, while using the country as a strategic base for serving markets across Africa.
The engagement was hosted by Richard Atigogo, Manager, Sales, Lagos Free Zone, who highlighted the Zone’s infrastructure, investment proposition and strategic position within Nigeria’s emerging industrial and logistics corridor.
A major outcome of the discussions was the consideration of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between PAISCI and Lagos Free Zone, with both sides exploring areas including investment promotion, manufacturing, supply-chain innovation, logistics and trade facilitation.
Under the proposed partnership, PAISCI and Lagos Free Zone would explore joint efforts to promote investment opportunities in the Zone to manufacturers and investors within the Ningbo ecosystem.
The proposed arrangement would also facilitate targeted business delegations from China to Lagos, allowing prospective investors to assess the Zone’s facilities, understand the Nigerian investment environment and explore opportunities for establishing manufacturing operations.
The discussions further centred on building a stronger bridge between Chinese manufacturing capabilities and Nigeria’s expanding industrial and consumer markets, with the potential to deepen Nigeria’s participation in regional and global supply chains.
During the visit, the PAISCI delegation received an overview of the infrastructure investment committed to Lagos Free Zone by Tolaram and the extent to which the Zone has been developed to support manufacturing and improve the ease of doing business.
A major attraction is the Zone’s integration with the Lekki Deep Sea Port, which provides manufacturers with a strategically connected platform for importing raw materials and equipment while supporting the export and distribution of finished products to Nigeria and other African markets.
The PAISCI delegation included Dr. Segun Ogunnaike, Adeyemi Ebenezer, Temitope Popoola, Dr. Joseph Unwabueze and Dr. Buhari Sodiq, who participated in the engagement and discussions on opportunities for collaboration.
The proposed partnership comes against the backdrop of growing efforts to strengthen economic and trade links between Nigeria and China by creating practical channels through which Chinese businesses can access African markets.
For PAISCI, the initiative aligns with its broader objective of using supply-chain innovation, strategic partnerships and international networks to unlock investment and industrial opportunities across Africa.
For Lagos Free Zone, the proposed collaboration offers an opportunity to deepen its reach into the Chinese manufacturing ecosystem and attract companies looking for an established industrial and logistics platform from which to serve Nigeria and the wider African market.
The two organisations are expected to develop a framework for the proposed MOU and identify immediate steps towards activating the partnership, including targeted engagement with manufacturers and investors in Ningbo and the organisation of future Chinese business delegations to Lagos.
If successfully developed, the partnership could transform PAISCI’s China network into a practical investment bridge, connecting manufacturers in one of China’s largest industrial ecosystems with a Nigerian platform strategically positioned to move goods and investment into Africa.