Nigeria's Manufactured Goods Imports Reach N18 Trillion

In the first half of 2026, Nigeria's imports of manufactured goods surged to N18 trillion, marking a 16.9% increase from N15.40 trillion in the same period of 2025. The rise was propelled by a robust second-quarter performance, where imports rose to N9.51 trillion from N8.48 trillion in Q1 2026, reflecting a 12.1% quarter-on-quarter increase.

This data, derived from the Q1 and Q2 2026 Foreign Trade Statistics reports released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), indicates a persistent reliance on imported manufactured products by Nigerian businesses. The increase is attributed to local producers' inability to meet certain demands and ongoing financing and production challenges within Nigeria's manufacturing sector, which can render locally produced goods more expensive.

In June 2026, Nigeria’s manufacturing sector contributed N329.59 billion in Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue in Q1. The Federal Government is actively encouraging manufacturers to engage in regional trade to expand market access, particularly through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).