Chinese economic diplomacy, public-private partnerships and Nigerian Lekki Deep Seaport

This paper examines the emerging trends in Chinese economic diplomacy characterised by the transition from state loans to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Africa. It discusses how the Nigerian Lekki Deep Seaport symbolises a new wave of Sino-African PPP. The existing literature on Chinese economic diplomacy is built on the dichotomised views of the debt trap and aids narratives. Studies have criticised the Sino-African PPPs as an illusion designed by China to sustain African underdevelopment. We nevertheless present a counter-narrative in this study and argue that African agencies can strategically improve their negotiating capacities to create favourable conditions for growth. Based on the analyses of diverse official sources and the extant literature, this paper concludes that this peculiar example of Sino-African PPPs ensures the convergence of national interest and global justice.