Latest report has indicated that Ogidigben Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP) in Delta State was the largest single recipient of construction contracts under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2025.
A new report by China energy expert at Griffith University, Christoph Nedopil, reflected that during the year, approximately $24.6 billion was invested in the project, making it one of the largest deals embarked on by the Chinese.
Nedopil attributed the rise in Nigeria’s construction inflows from $1.8 billion in 2024 to $24.6 billion in 2025 to a $20 billion contract awarded to China National Chemical Engineering for the GRIP project, thereby making it the largest beneficiary of BRI construction activity in terms of value of investment in the year under review.
The commitment of $24.6 billion in BRI construction contracts to the Ogidigben Park represented 13% increase over the previous year’s value. .
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According to the report’s data, the BRI construction contracts globally totalled $128.4 billion in 2025, an 81% year-on-year increase, while total BRI engagement increased to $213.5 billion across approximately 350 deals in 2025.
Over the past years, energy investments remained a key driver of BRI operations, with global energy-related engagement reaching $93.9 billion. Fossil fuel projects dominated, although green energy initiatives also saw record figures.
With the 2025 deal on the GRIP project, Nigeria’s cumulative energy-related engagement with China now stands at an estimated $28 billion since 2013, the third in investment value, following Pakistan ($41.5 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($40 billion).
The GRIP project, which is one of Nigeria’s most ambitious gas-based industrial ventures, has in the past been stalled by delays associated with ethnic tensions, and investor fears about risks of staking their funds on the project.
