US Records $1.45 Billion Trade Surplus with Nigeria Amid Export Growth and Tariff Shifts
The United States has reversed last year’s trade deficit with Nigeria, recording a $1.45 billion goods trade surplus in the first ten months of 2025. According to the US Census Bureau, rising American exports to Nigeria, coupled with a decline in Nigerian imports, fueled the dramatic turnaround from a $1.367 billion deficit during the same period in 2024.
US exports to Nigeria jumped to $5.94 billion, while imports fell to $4.49 billion, creating a positive balance in Washington’s favor. October 2025 alone saw a $162 million monthly surplus, up from $116 million in September. Despite a small dip in exports that month, a sharper decline in imports widened the surplus, highlighting shifts in trade patterns rather than just export growth.
Year-on-year comparisons underscore the magnitude of the change. In October 2024, the US ran a $103 million deficit with Nigeria, exporting $295 million and importing $398 million. By October 2025, exports had risen by 80% to $532 million, while imports fell by 7.3%, marking Nigeria as a key driver of the US-Africa trade reversal. On a cumulative basis, US exports to Nigeria surged 60%, while imports declined by over 11%, reshaping bilateral trade flows.
Nigeria’s performance also impacted overall US trade with Africa. While the US maintained a year-to-date deficit of $3.74 billion with the continent, Nigeria contributed a significant share of the surplus, accounting for 31% of Africa’s total monthly trade surplus. Only Egypt delivered a larger surplus, while other African nations, including South Africa and Algeria, remained in deficit positions.
Experts link the shift to a combination of increased US exports and a change in trade policies under President Donald Trump. A “reciprocal” tariff increase on Nigerian non-oil goods—from 14% to 15%—introduced new costs for importers, discouraging some purchases. Although crude oil exports were largely exempt, the tariff changes appear to have contributed to the drop in Nigerian exports to the US, indirectly supporting the American trade surplus.
source: nairametrics