Nigeria love for tear-rubber (brand new products) have declined to 97 per cent, according to first quarter of 2026 data from Africa’s leading online marketplace, Jiji.

For decades, the hallmark of success in Nigeria had been the acquisition of tear rubber (brand new) goods, but times are changing. Today, that culture is undergoing major shifts backed by data and influenced by macroeconomic adjustments.

Recent market data show that Nigerians are abandoning brand-new items in favour of high quality pre-loved alternatives.

According to the platform, searches for used items surged by a whopping 97 per cent Year-Over-Year (YOY) translated to a record of over 40million visits in the first quarter alone.

This behavioral shift directly correlates with the country’s economic climate, as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports inflation hovering around 15% in March 2026.

With consumer purchasing power facing sustained pressure over the past two years, the traditional retail sector has become prohibitively expensive for the middle class. Statista and localized economic reports show a steep contraction in real consumer spending, causing a strategic redirection of household budgets.

Smart Nigerian shoppers are trading up in the secondary market rather than downgrading their lifestyles. Buying used is no longer viewed as a compromise, but has become the definitive marker of a financially disciplined and practical consumer.

The data highlights a maturing market where consumers actively dictate their spending limits. Jiji’s Q1 ‘26 metrics show an 81% quarterly spike in searches using the discount filter for phones, alongside an 11% increase in the usage of strict price-cap filters (exceeding 345,000 unique sessions in Q1 alone). This indicates that impulse buying has been completely replaced by frugal commerce.

Chief Operating Officer at Jiji, Maxim Makarchuk, described it as a structural evolution in African retail.

He said: “We’re witnessing a fundamental change in Nigerian consumer psychology. The stigma once attached to second-hand items has completely evaporated. Today, securing a high value pre-loved item is recognized as a flex of financial intelligence.

At Jiji, we’re providing the transparent and secure infrastructure that allows Nigerians to bypass inflated retail markups, maintain their standard of living, and keep the domestic economy moving.”

As Nigeria navigates its path toward economic recovery, the tear-rubber era is making way for a time of sustainable and smart commerce. With Nigerians now embracing the pre-loved or used items market, they’re taking back control of their wallets.

They’re proving that while purchasing power may be squeezed, the demand for quality remains as resilient as ever.

A Lagos based software developer who simply identified himself as Emeka O, said: “Buying a brand-new smartphone right now just doesn’t make economic sense to me. I can get a used UK version of the latest model on Jiji for a fraction of the retail price. I really don’t care about showing off the unboxing anymore. My goal is to spend wisely and save up to upgrade my tech gear.”

This sentiment is echoing across categories, from Phones and Tablets to Cars and Electronics. As the average price of vehicles soared over the last 24 months, small businesses and families have turned to the circular economy for survival and scale.

An entrepreneur in Abuja, Aisha Mohammed, said: “For my logistics business, investing in a new delivery van was completely out of the question with the current dealership prices.

I found a direct seller on Jiji who had a Nigerian used bus in great condition. The decision I made to buy from him is what has kept my business running this year.”