As a free agent, Babangida underwent a successful trial at Chinese side Tianjin Teda in the summer of 2003.[30] The move, however, was put off due to the outbreak of SARS in China,[31] and Babangida signed with the second-tier side Changchun Yatai shortly after.[32] His four goals in the second part of the season helped his team to the Jia B title and earned him a recall to the national team for their preparations for the 2004 African Cup of Nations.[33] Babangida scored four more goals for Yatai the following season before retiring in 2004.[34]