Africa's top five import countries collectively accounted for half of the continent's imports in 2022
African countries imported products worth $694 billion in 2022, with South Africa, the continent's leading importer, bringing in products worth $111.9 billion, representing 16.1% of the total. Egypt followed with $79.7 billion, constituting 11.5%.
China remains Nigeria’s largest import partner, accounting for ₦4.96T or 32.45% of total imports—more than double the U.S.'s share.
The United States holds second place in imports, contributing ₦2.16T (14.12%), while India, the Netherlands, and the UAE follow with smaller shares below 6%.
Spain tops Nigeria’s export market, receiving ₦2.47T worth of goods, representing 10.85% of total exports.
Europe features strongly among export partners, with Spain, France, and the Netherlands together absorbing nearly a quarter of Nigeria’s outbound trade.
Togo leads on both sides of trade, supplying ₦211.99B in imports and receiving ₦811.97B in exports, making it Nigeria’s strongest African partner by value.
South Africa ranks second, with imports of ₦115.15B and exports of ₦473.65B, reflecting deep bilateral trade ties.
Côte d’Ivoire also features prominently, sending ₦106.15B worth of goods to Nigeria while importing ₦408.97B, showing balanced engagement.
West Africa dominates Nigeria’s intra-African trade, with Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana collectively accounting for a significant share of regional exports.
₦7.88 trillion worth of manufactured goods made up 51.6% of imports, underscoring Nigeria’s dependence on foreign industrial products.
Other petroleum oil products accounted for ₦2.79 trillion (18.2%) of imports, showing continued reliance on external energy supplies despite Nigeria’s oil-rich status.
₦1.72 trillion in raw material imports (11.3%) highlights the gap in local processing capacity.
Solid minerals (₦70.9 bn, 0.46%) and energy goods (₦150 mn, almost 0%) show almost no role in imports.
