Nigeria's Car Imports Rebound Sharply in 2025, Driven by Passenger Vehicles Surge

In 2025, Nigeria witnessed a sharp rebound in car imports, particularly in passenger vehicles, as shown by official trade data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The total value of passenger car imports rose to 1.01 trillion in the first nine months of 2025, marking a 12.7% year-on-year growth.

The recovery gained momentum in the second half of the year after a weak start due to currency volatility and higher land costs. The United States remained Nigeria's largest source of passenger vehicle imports, followed by South Africa and other African countries like Angola and Liberia.

The surge in car imports offset the decline recorded in the first half of the year, driving overall growth.