Nigeria’s manufacturing sector has sunk deeper into deficit, as imports of manufactured goods outpaced exports by more than N14tn in the first half of 2025. The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics highlight the scale of the country’s industrial crisis and reinforce calls for urgent government action to reverse the trend.
According to the NBS, the value of manufactured goods imported between January and June stood at N15.39tn, while exports during the same period amounted to just N1.09tn. This created a deficit of N14.3tn in only six months, continuing a long-standing imbalance that underscores Nigeria’s reliance on foreign products.
Although exports rebounded in the second quarter, rising to N803.81bn—up 173 per cent from the first quarter and 67.17 per cent year-on-year—industry players warned that the growth is insufficient to offset the flood of imports.
The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, described the figures as a troubling confirmation of what manufacturers have repeatedly warned about. “This deficit is simply a confirmation that domestic manufacturing is still struggling, and more needs to be done to mitigate the widening gap,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
Similarly, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gabriel Idahosa, said the numbers reflect the depletion of Nigeria’s production capacity. According to him, “The N14tn deficit in manufacturing in H1 2025 is due to an imbalance in raw materials. Manufacturers are increasingly dependent on imports because there are insufficient local supplies.”
Stakeholders noted that the widening deficit puts pressure on the foreign exchange market, contributes to naira depreciation, and erodes the sector’s role in driving economic growth. The structural weaknesses behind Nigeria’s manufacturing deficit are not new. Stakeholders pointed to chronic issues: low competitiveness, lack of raw materials, high energy costs, weak export infrastructure, and inconsistent policies.
Ajayi-Kadir explained that the deficit is not only a result of consumer choices but also of government procurement patterns. “This also has to do with heavy purchases for government contracts and infrastructure projects. Domestic production is still low, and our inability to compete has continued to constrain exports,” he said.
He noted that poor export intelligence, weak port infrastructure, and regulatory bottlenecks further weaken Nigerian products abroad.
