Nigeria's Car Imports Jump 146% to N1.18 Trillion in H1 2026

In the first half of 2026, Nigeria's passenger motor car imports surged by 145.6% year-on-year, reaching N1.18 trillion, compared to N479.26 billion in the same period of 2025. This increase contributed to a broader rise in the country's transport equipment import bill, which totaled N3.73 trillion in H1 2026, up 44.2% from N2.59 trillion in H1 2025.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that transport equipment imports rose from N1.75 trillion in Q1 to N1.99 trillion in Q2 2026. Notably, passenger motor car imports increased from N552.34 billion to N624.75 billion during this timeframe.

The growth in passenger vehicle imports reflects strong demand and Nigeria's ongoing reliance on imported transport equipment, despite government efforts to reduce transportation costs and promote alternative-fuel vehicles. Additionally, imports of parts and accessories declined by about 4.4%, indicating that the surge in overall transport imports was primarily driven by complete passenger vehicles.