15/09/2026
Chinese Must Stop Retail Trading in Our Markets — Igbo Traders Stage Protest In Lagos Trade Fair Market
Some traders in Lagos have protested against the alleged involvement of Chinese nationals in retail trading, saying it is thre@tening the survival of local businesses.
The protest took place at some markets within the Lagos Trade Fair Complex along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. Videos circulating online showed traders carrying placards reading “Chinese must go,” “They should go far from our market environment and not be taking our customers,” and “This is a peaceful protest.”
In one video, a trader said the protesters were opposed to Chinese vendors selling directly to their customers. He said Chinese nationals initially came to Nigeria for wholesale trading but have now expanded into retail, giving them an advantage through their resources and connections to import goods directly from China.
The trader stressed that the protest was peaceful and that they had no intention of att@cking Chinese nationals or destroying their shops, warehouses or property.
He said the relationship between Nigerians and the Chinese was important, but argued that the Chinese should not take over their business. According to him, Chinese traders have built warehouses, rented shops and started selling directly to customers as retailers.
He also alleged that when local traders send waybills, Chinese vendors copy their customers’ numbers, while their ability to import directly allows them to sell goods at lower prices and take customers from local traders.
The trader warned that if the situation continues, local traders could lose their shops and businesses within five years, questioning whether this was how their forefathers conducted the business.
