Why does China's FDI play a decisive role in NIgeria's development? And how can we understand it from a critical viewpoint?

Strindlund, Charlotte Elisabeth

4. term

Development and International Relations, Master

2015

2015-08-30

52

Dette speciale undersøger, hvorfor Kinas udenlandske direkte investeringer (FDI) – langsigtede investeringer i projekter og virksomheder – er vigtige for Nigerias udvikling, og fortolker forholdet mellem Kina og Nigeria gennem verdenssystemteori, en ramme der fremhæver ulige magtforhold i verdensøkonomien. Det undersøger også, hvordan Kina kan drage fordel af Nigerias politiske ustabilitet. Gennem årene har Kina og Nigeria opbygget tætte økonomiske bånd, og store mængder kinesisk FDI har udløst debat om, hvorvidt Nigeria er blevet afhængig af Kina. Specialets resultater viser, at kinesisk FDI er blevet afgørende for Nigerias fortsatte udvikling, fordi landet er afhængigt af investeringer, der bidrager med infrastruktur og kompetencer – to centrale byggesten i udvikling. Set gennem en verdenssystemteoretisk linse kan relationen fremstå asymmetrisk, hvor Kina fremmer egne interesser, magt og indflydelse. Derudover kan Nigerias politiske ustabilitet skabe flere muligheder, som Kina kan drage fordel af.

This thesis examines why China’s foreign direct investment (FDI)—long-term investments in projects and companies—is important for Nigeria’s development and interprets the China–Nigeria relationship through world-systems theory, a framework that highlights unequal power relations in the global economy. It also explores how China may benefit from Nigeria’s political instability. Over time, China and Nigeria have built close economic ties, and large inflows of Chinese FDI have sparked debates about whether Nigeria has become dependent on China. The findings show that Chinese FDI has become crucial to Nigeria’s ongoing development because the country relies on it for infrastructure and skills—two essential components of development. Viewed through a world-systems lens, the relationship can appear asymmetrical, with China advancing its own interests, power, and influence. In addition, Nigeria’s political instability can create multiple opportunities from which China may benefit.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

world-system theory ; dependent relations ; FDI ; Nigeria ; China ; development

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Strindlund, Charlotte Elisabeth:

• How can China help Nigeria become a more stable society in order to attract more FDI, and at the same time keep Chinese interests safe? (2015)