On 1 May 2026, China implemented zero-tariff treatment across all tariff lines for the African countries it holds diplomatic relations with — Nigeria among the economies newly brought in. For Nigeria, the preferential treatment runs to 30 April 2028.
Read that date again. This is not an open door. It is a closing one.
Nigerian sesame, ginger, cashew and cocoa previously entered China carrying duties of roughly 8 to 15 per cent. That cost is now zero — for a defined period. For a 320-tonne sesame position, the tariff saving alone can move the economics of the entire shipment.
Why a window is not the same as an advantage
An open-ended tariff cut becomes priced into the market: buyers expect it, and the benefit erodes into the quoted price. A closing window behaves differently. The exporters who move volume early, with verified quality and complete documentation, capture the margin before the crowd arrives and before the window shuts.
The Melius position
We hold or contract inventory against this window and sell to buyers directly, as principal. That means the tariff advantage is captured inside a verified, milestone-settled contract rather than negotiated away in a rushed spot deal. When the window closes, the exporters who built a documented track record inside it keep the buyer relationships that outlast it.