Mineral fuels, oils, and distillation products accounted for 43.65% of the US' total export to Nigeria

Key Takeaways:

  • Mineral fuels and oils led the US' exports to Nigeria at $1.82B, making up over 43% of the total.
  • Vehicles and automotive parts followed at $677.65 million, with machinery and nuclear reactors contributing $487.23 million.
  • Total US exports to Nigeria reached $4.17 billion in 2024.
  • The top 10 export categories made up 90.7% of the total export value.
  • The top three US export categories to Nigeria accounted for nearly 72% of total exports.

In 2024, the United States exported goods valued at $4.17 billion to Nigeria. Energy products (mineral fuels and oils) took the lead with $1.82 billion. The automotive sector followed with vehicles and parts worth $677.65 million, while machinery and nuclear reactors contributed $487.23 million.

Other notable exports from the United States to Nigeria included plastics, cereals, electronic equipment, aircraft, and medical apparatus, reflecting a diverse trade portfolio.

Source:

USA Trade Online - U.S. Census Bureau

Period:

2024
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For most of the period (2013-H1 2025), China's share of Nigeria's imports from Asia hovers around 50%-55%, showing dominance
  • China has dominated Nigeria’s imports from Asia, maintaining a 50–55% share for most of the period.
  • China’s share reached its highest level at 58.6% in H1 2025.
  • India's import share remained volatile, ranging between 11% and 25%.
  • Total imports from Asia surged from ₦2.6 trillion in 2013 to ₦16.4 trillion in H1 2025.

Nigeria's agricultural imports' share has been dropping, from 83.9% (2017) to a low of 42.9% (H1 2025)
  • Agricultural imports fell from 83.9% in 2017 to 42.9% in H1 2025, indicating a significant decline in import dependency.
  • Agricultural exports grew from 16.1% in 2017 to 54.0% in 2024, surpassing imports for the first time since 2017.
  • Total agricultural trade increased from ₦1.1 trillion in 2017 to ₦8.2 trillion in 2024.
  • Between 2022 and 2024, the import share dropped significantly from 75.7% to 46.0%.

Crude oil imports in Nigeria emerged in H1 2025 (the first since 2017), capturing a 10.2% share of the total crude oil trade
  • Crude oil imports into Nigeria in H1 2025 marked the first occurrence since 2017.
  • Crude oil imports accounted for 10.2% of total crude oil trade.
  • From 2017 to 2024, exports made up 100% of crude oil trade annually.
  • Total crude oil trade peaked at ₦55.3 trillion in 2024.
  • The emergence of crude oil imports can be linked to domestic refinery operations, especially the Dangote Refinery.

Asia and Europe (combined) have consistently represented over 70% of Nigeria's total imports since 2013
  • Asia and Europe have consistently represented over 70% of Nigeria’s imports since 2013.
  • Asia’s share of imports reached a record 53.5% in H1 2025.
  • Europe contributed 23.1% of total imports in H1 2025.
  • Imports from the American region averaged between 10%–14% over the period.
  • Africa’s import share remained below 10%, showing limited regional trade.

The Netherlands held the largest share of Nigeria's imports from Europe for most of the period, averaging 20% of annual imports
  • The Netherlands has mostly been the top European import source, with Nigeria averaging 20% of annual imports from the region.
  • Netherlands' highest share of Nigeria's imports was 27.9% in 2018.
  • The United Kingdom consistently contributed around 5–15% of Nigeria’s European imports.
  • Germany’s share remained relatively stable at 5–10% over the years.
  • France, Italy, and Spain maintained smaller shares, mostly under 7%.

Nigeria's manufactured goods trade is overwhelmingly import-dependent, with imports consistently exceeding 85% since 2017
  • Imports have consistently exceeded 85% of Nigeria's manufactured goods trade since 2017.
  • In H1 2025, imports accounted for 93.3% of the total ₦16.5 trillion trade.
  • Nigeria’s export share in the manufactured goods trade was only 6.7% in H1 2025.
  • The highest export share in the past eight years was 14.8% in 2019.
  • Total manufactured goods trade grew from ₦4.9 trillion in 2017 to ₦29.1 trillion in 2024.

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