Asia continues to dominate Nigeria’s imports, with the country importing goods worth N7.65 trillion in Q2 2025, representing 50 per cent of total imports.
 
China remained Nigeria’s largest import partner, supplying N4.96 trillion worth of goods, more than double that of the United States, which followed with N2.16 trillion.
 
This is contained in the latest Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Other key import sources included India, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
 
The bulk of imports comprised machinery, refined petroleum products, wheat and pharmaceuticals. Manufactured imports remained high at N7.88 trillion, highlighting Nigeria’s continued reliance on foreign industrial inputs. 
 
Agricultural imports also grew to N1.18 trillion, driven by wheat imports from Canada and Russia. The country, however, saw an upswing in its external trade position in Q2, as the country’s trade surplus widened by 44.3 per cent to N7.46 trillion, up from N5.17 trillion in Q1.
 
Total exports stood at N22.75 trillion, a 10.5 per cent increase from Q1 and 28.4 per cent higher than the same period in 2024. Imports, however, slipped by 0.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter to N15.29 trillion.
Crude oil, which contributed N11.97 trillion or 52.6 per cent of total exports, posted a decline of 5.1 per cent year-on-year and 7.6 per cent compared to Q1.  
   
The fall was, however, offset by strong growth in other petroleum products, which nearly doubled year-on-year to N7.74 trillion, reflecting gains from gas exports and refined petroleum products.
 
Non-oil exports rose to N3.05 trillion, representing 13.4 per cent of total exports. Manufactured goods exports expanded to N803.8 billion, a 173 per cent increase from Q1 and a 67 per cent rise compared with the same quarter of 2024.  
 
Key manufactured exports included vessels, floating platforms and aluminum alloys. Solid minerals also strengthened its contribution, with exports jumping by 31 per cent from Q1 to N77.3 billion, led by shipments of cement clinkers and mineral substances to China and Cameroon.
 
However, oil and gas still accounted for over 85 per cent of total exports. Spain retained its position as Nigeria’s largest export destination in Q2, receiving goods worth N2.47 trillion, followed by India with N1.98 trillion, France with N1.62 trillion, the Netherlands with N1.54 trillion and Canada with N1.43 trillion.
 
Together, the five countries accounted for nearly 40 per cent of Nigeria’s total exports.

Regionally, Europe remained the top export market, absorbing 38 per cent of Nigeria’s shipments. Asia followed with 33 per cent, while America accounted for 16 per cent, with Africa accounting for 13 per cent.
 
Within Africa, ECOWAS countries stood out with exports worth N1.93 trillion, dominated by petroleum products such as crude oil, kerosene, jet fuel and gas oil.