Nigeria recorded a 21 per cent increase in intra-African trade in 2025, with total trade rising to $9.02 billion as the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) continued to unlock new export opportunities and deepen regional commercial integration, as businesses leveraged preferential market access and lower trade barriers.
The latest African Trade Report 2026 released by Afreximbank showed that Nigeria’s trade with the rest of Africa increased from $7.47 billion in 2024 to $9.02 billion in 2025, consolidating the country’s position among the continent’s leading intra-African trading nations.
According to the report, the growth was driven by Nigeria’s intensified focus on regional commerce and deliberate efforts to leverage opportunities under the AfCFTA to reduce trade barriers and expand export markets across Africa.
While crude oil remained Nigeria’s dominant export to African markets, the report noted increasing diversification of the country’s export basket. Key non-oil exports included chemicals, plastics and rubber products, processed agricultural goods, food products, urea and cement.
The development comes as Nigeria seeks to reduce its dependence on traditional export destinations outside Africa while positioning local manufacturers to tap into the continent’s fast-growing consumer market.
