The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has strongly rejected allegations made by US lawmakers that Chinese mining companies are funding terrorism in the country.
The claims, made in a bill introduced by five Republican congressmen, accuse Chinese enterprises of paying “protection money” to local militia groups, which the embassy describes as “completely baseless” and “fabricated rumors”.
In a statement, the embassy emphasized that Chinese mining companies in Nigeria have a “zero tolerance” policy towards any involvement in illegal activities and have been victims of terrorist attacks themselves.
The embassy also highlighted the positive contributions of Chinese companies to Nigeria’s economy, including job creation and environmental protection.
The US bill, titled the “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026”, aims to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
However, the Chinese embassy sees this as an attempt to damage China-Nigeria relations and urges relevant parties to stop spreading false information.
