Sino-Nigerian Business Communication Challenges in Kano’s Commercial Districts

Kano's Sabon Gari and Wapa districts host the largest concentration of Chinese traders in North West Nigeria, creating a daily environment of cross-cultural commercial interaction between Chinese merchants and Nigerian buyers, suppliers, and partners. This study examines the nature and frequency of communication challenges in Sino-Nigerian business interactions within Kano's commercial districts. A descriptive research design was adopted, with survey data collected from 150 Nigerian traders, 30 Chinese merchants, and 15 Mandarin-speaking Nigerian commercial interpreters operating in these districts. Results indicate that language barriers constitute the primary communication challenge, cited by 89 percent of Nigerian traders and 76 percent of Chinese merchants. Misunderstandings in price negotiation and product specifications are the most common consequences of poor communication. Nigerian Mandarin interpreters, though in high demand, frequently lack specialist commercial vocabulary, resulting in transactional inaccuracies. Cultural differences in negotiation styles, particularly around direct versus indirect communication norms, create additional friction. Trust deficits arising from perceived dishonesty on both sides are identified as secondary barriers. The study concludes that Sino-Nigerian business communication in Kano requires targeted investment in commercial Mandarin training, development of bilingual business glossaries in Hausa and Mandarin, and establishment of a Kano-based Sino-Nigerian Commercial Mediation Centre to resolve language-related trade disputes efficiently.

Keywords: business communication, Kano, Chinese traders, language barriers, North West Nigeria