The rationale for Sino-African relations in the construction industry: The case of Nigeria

The contribution of China to the development of infrastructure in Africa has not gone unnoticed. It is, however, imperative to understand the motivation of African countries in the Sino-African partnership. This study is aimed at investigating the drivers of Sino-African relations in the construction industry. This is with a specific focus on the Nigerian construction industry. The study adopts a quantitative research design and a survey of construction professionals in Nigeria was taken using a structured questionnaire. A descriptive analysis and an exploratory factor analysis were conducted on the collected data. The findings of this study grouped the drivers of the Sino-African relationship for Africa into national development and international development. National development is the greatest driving force for Nigeria in its partnership with China, as it is of the utmost importance for African countries to develop their infrastructure and manufacturing factories and to acquire advanced technical skills, especially in the field of construction. In addition, developing the economy and optics of Nigeria as well as Africa in the international front is also a driver of the partnership.