Validating perception on trade and economic governance: the case of Nigeria China trade interest in Kano state markets, Nigeria

Abstract

The trade and economic relations between Nigeria and China have witnessed tremendous improvement over the years from political to a more intense trade penetration of the Nigerian markets by China. However, these trade and economic relations were earlier established in the 1971. But China seemed to have succeeded in creating conditions necessary for Nigerian trade dependence by it crave for economic gain and development. The Chinese used the instruments of markets domination and economic favours to Nigeria, manipulation of product quality and price through the overbearing political influence over the Nigeria’s policy institutions, investments, importations, etc. This study, using world system and dependency theories, investigates
perception of trade and economic governance in Kano State Markets between the two countries making emphases to the China’s trade interest in Kwari market Kano. It also assesses how China’s interest influences the Nigerian trade policy mechanism and dependence on China using Kwari market as a reference point. The study used qualitative method of data collection and
engaged the instrument of semi-structured interviews to gather information from various respondents. Nine respondents were selected from both the policy institutions (Ministry of Commerce) and Kano State markets particularly Kwari market via purposive sampling technique as its sample size. The data collected for the study were thematically content analysed. Thus, the finding reveals that the impacts of Chinese trade interest to dominate the Nigeria’s markets, especially Kwari, influences its trade dependence on China. Similarly, China’s overbearing political influence over the Nigeria’s policy institutions and lack of structural policy mechanism by the Ministry of Commerce promote China’s intense trade interest in Kwari market. In the end, the study offers policy recommendation to attract balance terms of trade and improve the Nigeria’s weak policy institutions in order to achieve mutually beneficial relations.