An Anambra State High Court has ruled in favour of a Chinese businessman, Mr. Xu Jiang, in a debt recovery case against an Onitsha-based businessman, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, and his Nigerian company over unpaid goods supplied on credit.
Delivering judgment, Justice J.I Nweze ordered the defendants to pay the outstanding debt owed to Mr. Xu Jiang, with 5 percent annual interest to accrue until the judgment debt is fully settled. The court also awarded ₦500,000 as the cost of litigation.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the complainant, Barrister Ejiofo Umegbogu, described the ruling as a boost to Nigeria’s reputation in international trade, particularly in commercial relations between Nigeria and China.
Umegbogu commended the court for its speedy handling of the matter, noting that the suit, filed on March 25, 2026, was concluded within three months despite attempts by the defence to prolong the proceedings through procedural applications.
According to Umegbogu, the judgment demonstrates that the Nigerian judiciary, particularly in Anambra State, is capable of delivering timely justice and should encourage both local and foreign investors to seek legal redress through the courts whenever commercial disputes arise.
He stressed that debt recovery is a civil matter and advised against reporting such disputes to the police, noting that law enforcement agencies are not debt recovery institutions, although they may assist in enforcing valid court judgments.
The lawyer explained that the defendant had received and sold the goods supplied by the Chinese company since 2023 but failed to remit payment despite repeated demands.
He also urged Nigerians to have confidence in the judicial system and discouraged resorting to self-help or traditional means of resolving commercial disputes. Instead, he advised individuals and businesses to seek professional legal guidance in handling trade-related disagreements.
