Nigeria's Agricultural Imports Drop 8.5% to N2.03 Trillion

In the first half of 2026, Nigeria's agricultural imports fell by 8.5% year-on-year to N2.03 trillion, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The imports were N827.72 billion in Q1 and increased to N1.20 trillion in Q2, contrasting with N2.22 trillion in the same period of 2025.

Agricultural products constituted 6.08% of total imports in Q1 2026, down from 6.71% in Q1 2025, but rose to 8.35% in Q2 2026 compared to 7.75% in Q2 2025. This decline in imports occurred alongside a rise in agricultural exports, with cocoa beans leading at N154.31 billion in Q2 2026.

Other significant exports included sesame seeds at N96.03 billion and superior-quality cocoa beans at N58.82 billion. Agriculture remains a vital sector in Nigeria, employing 25.34 million people, or 30.1% of the workforce, and attracting $167.25 million in capital importation in 2025.