China accounted for 39.27 per cent of Nigeria’s total imports in the first half of 2026, with goods worth N11.01 trillion imported from the Asian country during the period.
An analysis of the latest Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Nigeria’s imports from China increased from N5.10 trillion in the first quarter to N5.92 trillion in the second quarter of 2026.
The N11.01 trillion figure represents nearly four out of every 10 naira spent by Nigeria on imported goods between January and June 2026.
China’s share of Nigeria’s import bill also increased significantly compared with the same period in 2025. Nigeria imported N9.62 trillion worth of goods from China in the first half of 2025, meaning imports from the country rose by N1.39 trillion, or 14.49 per cent, in H1 2026.
The increase came despite a decline in Nigeria’s overall import bill, which fell from N33.14 trillion in the first half of 2025 to N28.04 trillion during the corresponding period of 2026.
China Remains Nigeria’s Largest Import Source
China maintained its position as Nigeria’s largest source of imported goods, significantly ahead of other major trading partners.
In the first quarter of 2026, China supplied N5.10 trillion worth of goods to Nigeria, representing 37.42 per cent of total imports. The United States ranked second with N2.81 trillion, while India followed with N992.87 billion.
The gap widened in the second quarter, when Chinese imports increased by 16.09 per cent quarter-on-quarter to N5.92 trillion. The figure represented 41.02 per cent of Nigeria’s N14.42 trillion total imports during the quarter.
Chinese Imports Support Key Nigerian Sectors
The data also showed that Chinese products are significant to several areas of Nigeria’s economy, including telecommunications, agriculture, construction, renewable energy and manufacturing.
Among the major imports from China in the first quarter were machines used for the reception, conversion and transmission of voice, images or data, valued at N254.41 billion.
Other major imports included agricultural machinery, parts for telecommunications equipment, herbicides and line pipes used for oil and gas pipelines.
In the second quarter, photovoltaic cells assembled into modules or panels were among the leading Chinese imports, valued at N184.02 billion. Nigeria also imported telecommunications equipment, heavy machinery, herbicides and agricultural machinery from China.
Nigeria Records N9.92tn Trade Deficit With China
Despite the high volume of imports from China, Nigeria’s exports to the country remained considerably lower.
Nigeria exported goods worth N582.20 billion to China in the first quarter and N506.57 billion in the second quarter, bringing total exports to N1.09 trillion in the first half of 2026.
With imports from China reaching N11.01 trillion, Nigeria recorded an estimated N9.92 trillion merchandise trade deficit with the country during the six-month period.
The figures indicate that for every N1 worth of goods Nigeria exported to China, it imported approximately N10.11 worth of goods from the Asian country.
Counterfeit Concerns Raise Regulatory Pressure
The growth in Chinese imports comes amid renewed concerns over counterfeit and substandard products in Nigeria.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has intensified enforcement against counterfeit and substandard products, following concerns over fake medicines, food products, cosmetics and other regulated goods.
According to the report, NAFDAC secured 64 convictions for counterfeiting offences between June 2025 and June 2026, while the agency said it had seized or destroyed more than N1.54 trillion worth of fake and substandard regulated products nationwide since 2023.
However, the report makes clear that the N11.01 trillion in imports from China does not mean that the goods imported from China were counterfeit. Rather, the scale of the trade highlights the size of the supply chain requiring regulatory oversight.
With China accounting for almost 40 per cent of Nigeria’s imports in the first half of 2026, the figures underscore the growing importance of China-Nigeria trade while also highlighting the need to address the significant imbalance in bilateral merchandise trade.
