Nigèria flag Nigèria: Visió econòmica i política

Xifres de comerç exterior de Nigèria

Foreign Trade in Figures

Nigeria is relatively open to trade. The objective of Nigeria's trade policy is to promote and diversify its exports by reinforcing national competitiveness and encouraging liberalization through the reduction of subsidies. The country mainly exports petroleum oils and petroleum gas (mineral products account for around 90% of total exports), with minor shares for fertilisers and cocoa beans; while petroleum oils account for one-third of imports. Other imported items include fighting vehicles (14.1% of imports in 2023), motor cars (3.9%), and wheat and meslin (3.4% - data Comtrade).

In 2023, Nigeria's main export partners were the Netherlands (12.6% of total exports), Spain (9.4%), India (8.4%), United States (7.5%), Indonesia (6.5%), and France (6.5%); whereas its main suppliers were China (18.4%), Singapore (14.3%), Belgium (9.4%), India (8.0%), and the United States (6.2% - data Comtrade). Nigeria is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has signed several regional and bilateral trade agreements. The country is also a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and has signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which aims to create a single market for goods and services among African countries. The Nigerian government has implemented various measures to promote exports, such as the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) and the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS). These measures aim to encourage non-oil exports, promote value addition, and increase competitiveness. Lingering barriers to trade and investment persist in the country, mainly due to long bureaucratic delays.

Nigeria’s merchandise trade balance is structurally positive, but it occasionally turns negative when oil prices and production drop. According to WTO data, in 2023, exports of goods amounted to USD 57.89 billion, whereas imports reached USD 45.94 billion (-8.2% and -23.8% y-o-y, respectively - WTO). Exports of services stood at USD 3.96 billion, while imports totalled USD 17.25 billion (WTO). According to preliminary figures from CBS, in 2024, Nigeria posted a goods trade surplus of USD 13.17 billion. Gas exports surged by 48.3% to USD 8.66 billion, while non-oil exports rose 24.6% to USD 7.46 billion. Fuel imports dropped 23.2% to USD 14.06 billion, and non-oil imports declined 12.6% to USD 25.74 billion.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20202021202220232024
Imports of Goods (million USD) 35,74051,88060,35149,42840,907
Exports of Goods (million USD) 35,63446,87163,07555,18252,933
Imports of Services (million USD) 19,59815,79218,50017,25217,291
Exports of Services (million USD) 3,5333,5324,4083,9644,068

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20202021202220232024
Trade Balance (million USD) -16,402-4,5625,9988,07513,166
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -32,241-16,622-7,958-5,161-194

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 2025 (e)2026 (e)2027 (e)2028 (e)2029 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 2.48.11.31.8-1.2
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) -3.78.84.15.24.0

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Member of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Member of Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Member of African Union (AU)

The country has signed a trade agreement with 21 other countries in the São Paulo Round of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP).

 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2024
Spain 10.5%
France 9.0%
Netherlands 9.0%
India 7.5%
United States 7.3%
See More Countries 56.8%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2024
China 23.3%
Belgium 11.6%
India 10.2%
United States 6.7%
Netherlands 3.8%
See More Countries 44.4%

Source: Comtrade, 2025. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

52.4 bn USD of products exported in 2024
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 71.4%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 16.7%
Cocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roastedCocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roasted 3.1%
Mineral or chemical nitrogenous fertilisers (excl....Mineral or chemical nitrogenous fertilisers (excl. those in pellet or similar forms, or in packages with a gross weight of <= 10 kg) 1.6%
Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating...Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, and other vessels the navigability of which is subsidiary to their main function; floating docks, floating or submersible drilling or production platforms (excl. fishing vessels and warships) 1.0%
See More Products 6.2%
41.0 bn USD of products imported in 2024
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 35.8%
Wheat and meslinWheat and meslin 2.6%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 1.9%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 1.6%
Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in...Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form 1.5%
See More Products 56.7%

Source: Comtrade, 2025. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import-Export Flows.

 

Main Services

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2025. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Actualitzacions: November 2025

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