Nigeria Spent ₦6.54 Trillion on Transport Equipment Imports in 2025 - NBS
Nigeria’s Vehicle and Machinery Imports Hit ₦6.54 Trillion in 2025
Nigeria spent ₦6.54 trillion on transport equipment and related imports in 2025, reflecting rising demand for passenger vehicles, industrial machinery, and spare parts across the economy. The figures were published in the latest Foreign Trade Statistics report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The data shows a sustained increase in the country’s transport equipment import bill over the past four years, underscoring Nigeria’s continued dependence on foreign vehicles and machinery to support mobility, logistics, and industrial operations.
Transport Equipment Imports Continue Upward Trend
According to the NBS data, the value of transport equipment imports has grown steadily in recent years:
₦6.54 trillion in 2025
₦4.77 trillion in 2024
₦3.15 trillion in 2023
₦1.88 trillion in 2022
The increase reflects strong demand for vehicles and transport-related machinery used in both commercial and household transportation, as well as equipment required for industrial and logistics operations.
Economists note that the upward trajectory highlights structural challenges in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, particularly the limited domestic capacity to produce vehicles and key transport equipment.
Passenger Vehicles Lead Import Growth
Passenger vehicles accounted for a significant portion of the country’s transport equipment imports. In 2025 alone, Nigeria imported ₦1.58 trillion worth of passenger cars, up from ₦1.26 trillion recorded in 2024.
Historical data shows a sharp rise in this category over the last four years:
₦1.58 trillion in 2025
₦1.26 trillion in 2024
₦1.47 trillion in 2023
₦656 billion in 2022
However, analysts say the increase does not necessarily reflect a dramatic rise in the number of vehicles entering the country. Instead, the depreciation of the naira has significantly increased the local currency value of imported vehicles, inflating the import bill.
Despite rising costs, demand for passenger vehicles remains resilient due to growth in private transport needs, ride-hailing services, and commercial mobility.
Industrial Machinery and Transport Equipment Also Rising
Beyond passenger vehicles, industrial transport equipment and machinery make up the largest share of the import category.
In 2025:
Imports of other transport equipment reached ₦3.39 trillion
Industrial machinery accounted for ₦2.66 trillion of that total
Non-industrial transport equipment contributed ₦729 billion
These imports support sectors such as construction, manufacturing, logistics, and heavy industry, all of which depend on specialised equipment that is largely sourced from foreign markets.
Spare Parts Imports Reflect Ageing Vehicle Fleet
Nigeria also imported ₦1.57 trillion worth of vehicle parts and accessories in 2025, rising from ₦1.33 trillion in 2024 and ₦713 billion in 2023.
The rising demand for spare parts reflects the country’s ageing vehicle fleet and the heavy use of imported used vehicles, commonly referred to as “tokunbo” cars.
Maintaining these vehicles requires continuous imports of replacement parts, further increasing pressure on Nigeria’s import bill.
Import Sources and Trade Dynamics
Nigeria relies heavily on international markets to supply vehicles and related transport equipment. Key import hubs for passenger vehicles include:
The United States
Dubai
South Africa
These countries serve as major distribution centres for both new and used vehicles entering the Nigerian market.
Implications for Nigeria’s Economy
The surge in transport equipment imports has broader macroeconomic implications. Analysts warn that the growing import bill places additional pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves, particularly as demand for imported vehicles and machinery continues to rise.
At the same time, the trend highlights the slow pace of domestic industrialisation in the automotive sector. While Nigeria has introduced policies to encourage local vehicle assembly, domestic production remains limited relative to market demand.
Outlook
The sustained rise in transport equipment imports suggests that Nigeria’s economy continues to rely heavily on imported vehicles and industrial machinery.
Policy analysts argue that expanding local automobile assembly plants, strengthening supply chains, and incentivising domestic manufacturing will be essential to reducing long-term import dependence. Without these structural changes, Nigeria’s transport equipment import bill is likely to remain elevated in the coming years.
