From 2024 to 2025, the total cost of Nigerian imports gained 3.7% compared to $52.4 billion the year prior.
Nigeria’s 4 most valuable imported products were refined petroleum oils, crude oil, cars and phone devices including smartphones, and crude oil. That subset of leading imported goods exceeded one-fifth (20.7%) of the overall value of Nigerian imports during 2025.
Based on the exchange rate for 2025, the Nigerian naira appreciated by 6.4% against the US dollar from 2024 to 2025. Nigeria’s stronger local currency makes its imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive for Nigerian importers starting from the naira.
Nigeria’s Major Suppliers for Imported Products
The latest available country-specific data shows that 73.3% of products imported into Nigeria was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (23.3% of the NIgerian total), Belgium (11.6%), India (10.2%), United States of America (6.7%), Netherlands (3.8%), United Arab Emirates (3.7%), France (2.7%), Saudi Arabia (2.5%), Spain (2.4%), Brazil (2.2%), Germany (2.1%) and Malta (2%).
Applying a continental lens, Nigeria imported 37.2% of its imported goods by value from providers located in Asia. Another 29.1% came from suppliers in Europe with another 5.8% arriving from North America.
Smaller percentages originated from exporters in fellow African nations (2.8%), Latin America (2.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.3%) led by New Zealand and Australia.
Given Nigeria’s population of 233.3 million people, its total US$54.4 billion in 2025 imports translates to roughly $225 in yearly product demand from every person in the West African country. That dollar metric exceeds the average $210 per capita in Nigerian spending on imported products one year earlier in 2024.
Nigeria’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Nigeria’s import purchases during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Nigeria.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$8.3 billion (15.3% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $6.1 billion (11.1%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $5.3 billion (9.7%)
- Vehicles: $5.1 billion (9.3%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2.7 billion (5%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $1.8 billion (3.4%)
- Cereals: $1.4 billion (2.6%)
- Manmade filaments: $1.3 billion (2.5%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $1.2 billion (2.2%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $1.1 billion (2%)
By value, the top 10 product categories approached two-thirds (63.1%) of total spending on goods imported into Nigeria during 2025.
Nigeria’s purchases of manmade filaments posted the fastest-growing increase in value among the top 10 import categories, thanks to its 2,782% increase from 2024 to 2025.
In second place were Nigeria’s imports of furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricated buildings via a 567.8% year-over-year acceleration.
That product category is well ahead of the 138.1% gain for exported items made from iron or steel, and 122.5% increase for electrical machinery and equipment.
The lone declining imports bought by Nigeria were mineral fuels including oil (down -48% from 2024).
For more details, see the product category sections analyzed below.
Nigeria’s Most Valuable Mineral Fuel Imports Including Oil
In 2025, Nigerian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of mineral fuels including oil.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$4.9 billion (down -67.2% from 2024)
- Crude oil: $3 billion (2024 data unavailable)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $152.2 million (up 2902.8%)
- Petroleum gases: $75.5 million (down -88.6%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $64.4 million (down -63.7%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $58.2 million (down -16%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $1.3 million (up 145.8%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $964,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $707,000 (down -97.2%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $420,000 (down -29.3%)
Among these import subcategories, Nigerian purchases of high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 2,903%) and asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 145.8%) grew from 2024 to 2025.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Nigerian businesses and consumers.
Nigeria’s Most Valuable Machinery Imports
In 2025, Nigerian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery.
- Air or vacuum pumps: US$376.6 million (up 44.1% from 2024)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $338.1 million (up 7.7%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $334 million (up 84.6%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $325.4 million (up 3.5%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $287.3 million (up 58.5%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $269.9 million (up 67.7%)
- Machinery parts: $248.3 million (up 306.1%)
- Air conditioners: $239.1 million (up 9.6%)
- Turbo-jets: $237.6 million (up 66.5%)
- Piston engine parts: $232.7 million (up 689.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Nigerian purchases of piston engine parts (up 689.2%), machinery parts (up 306.1%) then heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 84.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery-related imports among Nigerian businesses and consumers.
Nigeria’s Most Valuable Electrical Imports
In 2025, Nigerian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of electric items including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$1.5 billion (up 226.5% from 2024)
- Electric storage batteries: $570.3 million (up 639.4%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $473.1 million (up 90.5%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $341.2 million (up 220.4%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $332.6 million (up 24.3%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $245.4 million (up 54.2%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $220.4 million (down -29.9%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $191.9 million (up 75.5%)
- Electric motors, generators: $146.8 million (up 94.5%)
- Microphones/headphones/amps: $131.1 million (up 238.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Nigerian purchases of electric storage batteries (up 639.4%), microphones, headphones and amplifiers (up 238.6%) then phone devices including smartphones (up 226.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electrical products among Nigerian businesses and consumers.
Nigeria’s Most Valuable Vehicle and Related Imports
In 2025, Nigerian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles and related products.
- Cars: US$1.7 billion (up 115.6% from 2024)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $850.9 million (up 159.1%)
- Motorcycles: $600.8 million (up 64.2%)
- Tractors: $583 million (up 238.9%)
- Trucks: $541.8 million (up 32.8%)
- Trailers: $254.5 million (up 309.3%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $251.7 million (up 693.1%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $105.2 million (up 92.7%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $83.7 million (down -15.4%)
- Chassis fitted with engine: $22.9 million (up 1,076%)
Among these import subcategories, Nigerian purchases of chassis fitted with engine (up 1,076%), motorcycle parts or accessories (up 693.1%) then trailers (up 309.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Nigerian businesses and consumers.
See also Nigeria’s Top 10 Exports, Nigeria’s Top Trading Partners and Top African Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Africa: Nigeria. Accessed on May 26, 2026
EXCHANGE-RATES.org Nigeria Naira (NGN) to US Dollar, Exchange Rate History. Accessed on May 26, 2026
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 26, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 26, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 26, 2026
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Nigeria. Accessed on May 26, 2026
Wikipedia, Nigeria. Accessed on May 26, 2026