Nigeria spent over ₦1.4 trillion on food-related imports between July and September 2025, according to foreign trade data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), underscoring the country’s continued reliance on imported food despite worsening hunger and repeated government pledges to boost local production.
The data show that prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits and vinegar accounted for ₦748 billion during the period, while vegetable products cost ₦697 billion. Together, the two categories made up a significant share of Nigeria’s total imports in the third quarter of 2025.
The heavy import bill comes at a time of rising food insecurity, persistent inflation, and a weakened naira, raising concerns about the sustainability of Nigeria’s food system and the pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
A further breakdown revealed that imports of live animals and animal products stood at ₦382 billion within the same quarter, while animal and vegetable fats and oils amounted to ₦140 billion.
Beyond food items, Nigeria’s import profile remained dominated by manufactured and industrial goods. Plastics and rubber products were imported at a cost of ₦933 billion, while vehicles, aircraft and related parts amounted to ₦1.6 trillion. The largest import category was boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances, valued at ₦2.5 trillion. Textile materials and articles worth ₦248.3 billion were also imported during the period.
The figures highlight Nigeria’s growing dependence on imports amid soaring food prices and mounting foreign exchange pressures, raising questions about the effectiveness of policies aimed at strengthening domestic production and reducing import reliance.
Separately, NBS data revealed substantial spending on security-related imports.
Between 2020 and September 2025, Nigeria spent a total of ₦827.1 billion on arms and ammunition over a five-year and nine-month period.
A year-by-year breakdown shows that ₦29.2 billion was spent in 2020, increasing to ₦72.4 billion in 2021, before declining to ₦28.2 billion in 2022.
Expenditure rose sharply to ₦127.1 billion in 2023 and surged to ₦520 billion in 2024. Between January and September 2025, arms imports stood at ₦50.2 billion.
The rising trend has intensified concerns about weapons circulation in the country. In June 2025, reports indicated that the United States warned of increased arms proliferation among violent extremist groups in Nigeria, particularly following its military withdrawal from the Niger Republic.
