By Adam Said Adam, Kano
Nigeria’s agricultural imports surged to N1.44 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Data from the NBS External Trade Report shows that this represents a 31.74% increase compared to the N1.09 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2024. It also marks a 30.24% rise from the third quarter of 2025.
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The sharp rise in agricultural imports is believed to have contributed to easing food prices, with food inflation declining to 8.89% in January 2026, down from 10.84% in December 2025.
Despite the increase in imports, Nigeria’s merchandise trade balance remained positive at N1.71 trillion, although slightly lower than previous figures.
Overall, the country’s total trade stood at N36.21 trillion, reflecting a 1.07% decrease year-on-year and an 8.94% drop compared to Q3 2025. The decline has been largely attributed to reduced crude oil exports.
On the global stage, China maintained its position as Nigeria’s leading trade partner, followed by the United States, Netherlands, and India.
Major imports during the period included petroleum products, wheat, sugar, vehicles, among other commodities.
