Nigeria’s exports to African countries rose sharply to N4.9 trillion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, representing a 97.16 per cent year-on-year increase and signalling a growing shift toward regional and emerging markets.
Okay News Reports that foreign trade figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s official data agency, show exports to Africa climbed from N2.49 trillion in Q3 2024 to N4.9 trillion in Q3 2025, alongside notable growth in trade with Brazil and China, both members of the BRICS economic bloc.
BRICS—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—represents an alternative economic grouping to the Western-led global system dominated by the United States (US). NBS data indicate Nigeria’s exports to China surged by 230.49 per cent to N2.26 trillion, up from N683.74 billion a year earlier, while exports to Brazil increased by 19.58 per cent to N446.76 billion.
In contrast, exports to India declined by 52.83 per cent year-on-year to N560.76 billion, while shipments to the US fell by 55.97 per cent to N743.63 billion, down from N1.69 trillion in Q3 2024. Data from the United States Census Bureau further show US imports of Nigerian goods dropped by $552.7 million between January and September 2025.
The downturn has been linked to a 14 per cent tariff imposed on Nigerian exports by former US President Donald Trump, which affected bilateral trade and raised concerns over the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said the data confirm that Nigerian exporters are increasingly pivoting toward BRICS countries due to lower trade barriers and more favourable entry conditions. He noted that higher tariffs, compliance costs, and currency volatility have reduced the attractiveness of the US market.
Similarly, Chinyere Almona, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), attributed the decline in US-bound exports to tariff-driven disruptions, adding that exporters are now targeting BRICS, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of strategic diversification.
Almona urged the Federal Government to reactivate the Nigeria–US Bi-National Commission while deepening intra-African trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She also advised expanding exports in digital services, creative industries, and green technologies to offset external shocks.
The latest trade data suggest Nigeria, a BRICS partner country, is steadily reorienting its global trade footprint toward Africa and emerging economies.
