Nigeria's food imports hit N3.3T in H1 2026 despite 3.1% yearly drop—here's what it means for your wallet
Nigeria spent N3.30 trillion on food and beverage imports in the first half of 2026, with Q1 at N1.39 trillion and Q2 jumping to N1.91 trillion. Despite this quarterly increase, the H1 2026 total represents a 3.1% decline from N3.40 trillion spent in H1 2025. Household-oriented imports drove the Q2 surge: primary food for home use rose from N280.81 billion to N531.12 billion, while processed foods for households increased from N758.52 billion to N934.78 billion. Industrial-use imports also grew but less dramatically.
This continues a steep upward trend—annual food imports rose from N2.86 trillion in 2022 to N7.65 trillion in 2025. The Naira cost reflects import volumes, global prices, and exchange rates, making imports a major external trade factor. Critically, the UN FAO warns 34.7 million Nigerians could face severe food insecurity during the next lean season, highlighting pressure on household access despite the slight yearly import dip.
Given Nigeria's persistent food-security challenges and rising local production costs pushing farmers to abandon agriculture (especially in North-Central and North-West), how will you adjust your food budget—by seeking local alternatives, changing consumption habits, or absorbing higher costs—as import dependency remains high despite periodic fluctuations?