(Yicai Global) Jan. 15 -- The African continent's largest petrochemical project undertaken by Chinese enterprises commenced construction in Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 12. It involves building of a trestle and a submarine oil pipeline for the African commodity trading giant Dangote Group.

The submarine oil pipeline is constructed by China's state-run oil and gas developer Offshore Oil Engineering Co., [SHA:600583]. It stretches 90 kilometers in total, and the project value amounts to USD160 million, the state Xinhua News Agency reported on Jan. 13.

The trestle is co-built by Offshore Oil Engineering and another state-owned enterprise China Communications Construction Company [SHA:601800], with the contract amount reaching USD40 million. This is the first project on which both companies are cooperating in Nigeria.

Dangote petrochemical project is the largest of its kind in Africa and will be capable of processing 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day upon completion, enough to meet Nigeria's demand for processed oil.

As a cooperation project between China and Nigeria Lekki Free Trade Zone started construction in 2007 and is only 50 kilometers from capital Lagos, the largest city in West Africa, with its population of 21 million. It is adjacent to Lagos international Airport and Apapa Port, one of the largest seaports in West Africa.

China's trade with and investments in Africa recorded a 19 percent year-on-year surge in the first half of last year, reaching USD85.3 billion, showed data from the ministry of commerce.