What Happens When Chinese Money Meets African Politics?

Many African countries increasingly rely on Chinese financing and support for critical infrastructure projects. But how does China’s involvement in Africa intersect with local politics? Are African politicians proud of engaging with or borrowing from China? Or do they prefer to keep it quiet? Are some African politicians who publicly distance themselves from Chinese investment actually “in bed with China”?

Dr. Omolade Adunbi, Associate Professor at the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan, explains that in Nigerian politics, China occupies a complex role. Dr. Adunbi says, “Politicians do not necessarily promote their association with China, but they let Chinese projects speak for themselves. So there is hardly anywhere in Nigeria that you go to today that you don’t see the visibility of China in terms of infrastructural projects […] The first thing you see when you get to that when you land at that airport, is the presence of presence of China there. And that brings into focus the visibility of Chinese projects, so they are highly visible, you see that they are constructing or remodeling projects, from the airport, to roads, to hospitals to everywhere in the country. But here is the thing: so it’s also a strategy move by Nigerian politicians by not openly associating with China. […] They may not openly associate with China, but they are in bed with China in several other aspects.

This interview was recorded in 2020.

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