Import bill: Nigeria spends ₦38.9bn on footwear, headgear, between January and June

Nigeria spent N38.9 billion importing footwear, headgear, sunshades, umbrellas and whips between January and June 2026, a review of the Nigerian Foreign Trade Statistics has shown.

A SaharaReporters review of data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the country spent N18.5 billion on the importation of the products between April and June 2026, representing the second quarter of the year.

The figure recorded in the second quarter was lower than the N20.4 billion spent on the same category of products during the first quarter, which covered January to March 2026.

Taken together, Nigeria’s import bill for footwear, umbrellas, headgear, sunshades and whips stood at N38.9 billion in the first half of 2026.

The latest spending comes despite repeated efforts by successive Nigerian governments to promote local manufacturing, reduce dependence on imported goods and conserve the country’s foreign exchange.

The figures also come at a time when the cost of imported goods remains a major concern for businesses and consumers, particularly amid fluctuations in the value of the naira and rising costs of production.

The latest data indicate that significant amounts continue to be spent on imported consumer products, even where some of the items could potentially be produced locally.

The development follows a similar trend recorded in previous years, with import bills for consumer and industrial goods remaining high despite government policies aimed at encouraging domestic production.

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Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that Nigerians spent a total of N3.9 trillion on importing plastics, rubbers and “articles thereof” throughout 2025.

A breakdown of the figures showed that N982.9 billion was spent on the importation of the products between October and December 2025, representing the fourth quarter of the year.

Data from the NBS also indicated that spending on plastics, rubbers and related articles has risen considerably over the years.

While N3.9 trillion was spent on the imports in 2025, the corresponding figure stood at N3.4 trillion in 2024 and N1.2 trillion in 2023.

Similarly, an earlier review of Nigeria’s foreign trade statistics showed that the country spent N89.9 billion on imported products such as umbrellas, sunshades, footwear, headgear, whips and other unspecified items during the 2025 fiscal year

Of that amount, N22.1 billion was spent during the final quarter of 2025 alone, covering the period between October and December.

The figures show that spending on the same broad category of consumer goods has remained substantial from one year to another, reflecting the continued reliance of Nigerian consumers and businesses on imported products.

The latest figures highlight the sustained demand for imported consumer and manufactured goods in Nigeria, with billions of naira continuing to be expended on items that are widely used across the country.

The trend also raises questions about the capacity of local manufacturers to meet domestic demand and the effectiveness of policies designed to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.

With import costs remaining high, increased domestic production could potentially reduce the amount of foreign exchange required to bring such products into the country while also supporting local industries and employment.