Nigeria posts N7.55tn trade surplus as Q1 2026 exports rise — NBS
National Bureau of Statistics NBS
Abdullateef Fowewe
Nigeria’s total merchandise trade reached ₦34.788.59tn in the first quarter of 2026, driven by stronger exports and lower imports.
This was revealed on Monday in report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
“Nigeria’s total merchandise trade stood at N34,788.59 billion in Q1 2026,” the report obtained from the NBS said.
Total exports were valued at ₦21.169.27tn, up 2.77% from ₦20.598tn in Q1 2025 and up 11.63% from ₦18.963tn in Q4 2025.
Meanwhile, “the value of total imports stood at ₦13.619tn in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 18.17% decrease from the value recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025 (₦16.644tn) and a 21.05% decrease compared to the value recorded in Q4 2025 (₦17.250tn).”
The results produced a positive trade balance of ₦7.549tn for Q1 2026. Exports were heavily driven by crude oil, which “accounted for 52.92% of exports and over half of the top traded products.”
The report also identified China as Nigeria’s leading import partner and India as the top export destination.
