ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria spent ₦1.75 trillion ($1.13 billion) on the importation of vehicles, aircraft, vessels and related transport equipment in the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The figure reflects continued demand for transportation assets despite government efforts to strengthen local production.
The NBS Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics report showed that imports under the category “Vehicles, Aircraft and Parts Thereof; Vessels etc.” increased from ₦1.22 trillion ($787 million) recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. The latest figure also surpassed the ₦850.63 billion ($549 million) recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
Okay News reports that spending on imported transport equipment has risen steadily in recent years. Imports stood at ₦396.99 billion ($256 million) in the first quarter of 2023 before climbing to ₦850.63 billion in 2024, ₦1.22 trillion in 2025 and ₦1.75 trillion ($1.13 billion) in the first quarter of 2026.
The report also showed that passenger vehicle imports increased significantly during the review period. Imports of passenger motor cars rose by 145.94% year-on-year to ₦552.34 billion ($356 million) in the first quarter of 2026, compared with ₦224.58 billion ($145 million) recorded in the same period of 2025.
According to the NBS, the category generated import spending of ₦5.92 trillion ($3.82 billion) throughout 2025. The increase was driven by demand for commercial vehicles, passenger cars, aircraft, marine vessels and related spare parts as economic activity continued across key sectors.
The report noted that the United States remained Nigeria’s largest source of new and used passenger vehicle imports during 2025 and 2026. Other major suppliers included the United Arab Emirates, Canada, South Africa, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, despite ongoing government policies aimed at promoting local vehicle assembly and manufacturing.
