Nigeria has recorded a 14% increase in exports to Africa in the first half of 2025, reaching a total of N4.82 trillion, up from N4.21 trillion in the same period last year. This growth underscores Nigeria’s expanding role as a key trading hub on the continent, with fuel emerging as the leading export product.
West Africa remains Nigeria’s largest market, absorbing over 62% of the country’s continental exports. According to Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, this trend demonstrates Nigeria’s pivotal role in intra-continental trade and value chains. “This is a clear signal of strengthening regional trade momentum,” Adeniyi told Bloomberg.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that ECOWAS countries imported goods worth N2.995 trillion, marking a 16% rise year-on-year. Fuel dominated regional purchases, accounting for nearly N298 billion of these exports, highlighting the ongoing importance of Nigeria’s energy sector to its neighbors.
Despite this growth, exports to Africa currently make up only about 10% of Nigeria’s total exports, which reached N43.3 trillion in the first half of 2025. Europe, Asia, and the Americas remain larger markets, but Nigeria is actively working to boost its African trade footprint through initiatives under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Efforts to strengthen trade include tariff concessions and the launch of an air freight corridor to East Africa in May 2025. The corridor is expected to cut export costs by 50% to 75%, making Nigerian goods more competitive and accessible across the continent. With these measures, Nigeria aims to cement its position as a leading supplier in African markets.
source: vanguard