Nigeria spent N3.30 trillion on food and beverage imports in the first half of 2026, highlighting the country’s continued dependence on imported food as concerns over affordability, domestic production and food security persist.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), analysed from its Q1 and Q2 2026 Foreign Trade Statistics reports, showed that Nigeria’s food and beverage import bill rose from N1.39 trillion in the first quarter to N1.91 trillion in the second quarter. Despite the sharp quarter-on-quarter increase, the H1 figure was slightly lower than the N3.40 trillion recorded in the same period of 2025, representing a 3.1% decline.
Primary food and beverage products accounted for N1.58 trillion of the H1 2026 import bill, while processed food and beverages gulped another N1.72 trillion. Imports intended mainly for household consumption recorded notable growth during the second quarter, suggesting that Nigerian consumers and businesses continue to rely heavily on foreign food supplies to meet demand.
The latest figures come against the backdrop of a rising annual food import bill. Nigeria spent N7.65 trillion on food and beverage imports in 2025, up from N6.58 trillion in 2024, while spending stood at N3.83 trillion in 2023 and N2.86 trillion in 2022. The value of these imports is influenced by several factors, including import volumes, international commodity prices and movements in the naira exchange rate.
The growing reliance on imported food comes at a time when millions of Nigerians continue to face pressure over food access and affordability. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that about 34.7 million Nigerians could face severe food insecurity during the next lean season. The latest import figures therefore reinforce the need for stronger domestic agricultural production, better storage and processing facilities, improved distribution networks and greater support for smallholder farmers as Nigeria seeks to strengthen food security and reduce its exposure to imported food.
source: nairametrics
