Josfyn Uba

China Town, a Chinese-dominated business arena in the Ojota area of Lagos, is set to receive a conspicuous facelift that would spur economic development in the state. 

The giant shopping centre, which sits on an expanse of land measuring 20,000 square metres, will no longer be for only economic activities. It will also help facilitate robust bilateral relationships between Nigerians and the Chinese people.

Established in 2001 with the vision of facilitating foreign direct investment between China and Nigeria, China Town is the commercial home of everything Chinese. It is recognised by the local government as an independent trade market. With 300 shops and 200 apartment units, the market is patronised by the Chinese and Nigerians for China-made products. In China Town, a buyer is sure to get the best of Chinese clothes, electronics, fashion, accessories, food and the likes. With the latest arrangements, China Town will not just do more business, the facility would deepen China-Nigeria friendship as well as minimise the hurdles that new Chinese investors in Nigeria are likely to face.

During a recent facility tour of the arena, Mr. Liu Chang’an, the General Manager of China Town, spoke of his vision to turn the place to an economic hub for quality Chinese products. He asserted that, having been in existence in the last 18 years, China Town should serve as a symbol of cultural and economic exchange between Nigeria and China.

Giving a brief history of the business arena, he noted that the town came into existence a year after the creation of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). With FOCAC getting stronger, and with the peoples of China and Nigeria enjoying deeper friendship, he said it would be unwise to allow China Town fall into decline.

“I have a dream to turn things around for the better in China Town, because the centre has become a landmark, not just in the city, but in the cultural, economic and personal relationship between China and Nigeria, and we should not allow it go down.

“Soon, the signs announcing China Town to someone driving through the Oworonsoki-Ojota highway would be too conspicuous to miss,” he said.

He noted that China Town was currently undergoing serious rebranding, adding that, in the next few months, the centre would wear a completely different look. He pledged that the centre would not just be a business place, it would be a cultural centre, with a library for scholars serving people who want to learn about the Chinese way of life. It would equally teach the Chinese in Nigeria the Nigerian way of life.

Lui, who is also the founder of the Institute of Nigeria China Development Studies at the University of Lagos, expressed his commitment to building trade and economic ties with Nigeria by selling genuine Chinese products in China Town.

He said: “We are really concerned with the fake products as that was the major reason why businesses in China Town had declined in recent time.

“We are repositioning China Town to ensure that only genuine products are supplied and sold. We are committed to developing China Town into an exhibition centre for well-known and quality products and a hub for trade, investment, recreation, culture activities and food.

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“Corresponding to the Belt and Road Initiative, China Town is taking the lead in building the new era of comprehensive cooperation between China and Nigeria. Through cooperation with Nigerian state governments, we will be able to provide consulting services including finance, taxation, immigration, insurance, etc to the Chinese in Nigeria and also to Nigerians for everything related to China.

“As you can see from this tour, a lot of innovation is going on and I can assure you that, in no long time, China Town will develop into a wholesale mall focusing on middle and high-end market selling and distributing hardware, bathroom ware, building materials, small and medium-sized equipment and auto parts that are imported from China. With the support of our political connections and business resources here in Nigeria, China Town will form and train competent sales teams to develop distribution networks in major cities in Nigeria, promptly responding to the demand of clients.”

Commenting on revamping it to a culture, recreation and food centre, Liu said: “The Chinese schools and libraries in China Town have been inaugurated and are accepting enrolees. We are working closely with the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos and use their teaching advantages to spread Chinese culture and strengthen relationships between the two countries. There are also hotels, supermarkets and restaurants here. We are determined to turn China Town into a commercial centre with Chinese characteristics, at the same time covering wholesale markets, leisure, shopping and dining. All brands entering the mall must pass our screening to ensure product quality.

“China makes best quality products for the global market and is the highest exporter of consumer goods in the world. Our government and private investors are becoming more and more interested in Nigeria and we want to be part of that project by giving the Nigerian consumer the quality of products we would all be proud of.”

Entrusted as the general manager of China Town early this year, Liu restated that he was committed to achieving his dream for the centre. His words: “My plan is to totally change that notion in the market that Chinese products are of inferior quality. So, as we raise the quality of the products imported into China Town and also create an avenue for Nigerian products of good quality, we make stronger our bonds and through that make it possible for more Chinese investors to get the right persuasion to manufacture in Nigeria in the future and not just exporting products into the country.

“In the near future, China Town will develop into a wholesale mall focusing on the middle and high-end market. What China Town provides to its clients is not only shop fronts and showroom windows but also access to share local resources of HuaFei Mall, like our sales team, foreign trade experience, distribution channels and publicity network,” he said.

Liu said the management of China Town in Lagos has begun negotiations with some state governments on ways to attract direct investment to their states.

“We have started negotiations with Osun State government to see how to attract Chinese investors to the state to establish factories there. This will help to eliminate substandard products being imported into the country and at the same time help create employment.

“Most of all, the thing we target to do is creating the right image and bond between the Chinese businessman in Lagos, Nigeria and in the entire Africa. Our objective is to make sure that we work with the best brands and manufacturers in China and bring their products here and even convince them to open up business outlets in Nigeria for manufacturing,” he said.

Liu, who has been in Nigeria for almost 20 years, is the chairman of the Association of Chinese Investors in Nigeria and the chief executive officer of HuaFei Group of Companies.

He expressed a strong desire to build better China-Nigeria relationships when he set up the Institute of Nigeria China Development Studies at the University of Lagos.