Nigeria’s imports of vehicles and automotive parts from the United States climbed to $602m in the first five months of 2026, up 41.3% from $426m in the same period last year, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Passenger
Passenger cars accounted for the largest share of the exports to Nigeria during the period, with the data showing US passenger car exports to Nigeria rising to $454m from $312m a year earlier, a 45.5% increase. Automotive parts exports also increased, to $122m from $86m, a rise of 41.9%, while exports of trucks, buses and special-purpose vehicles declined by 10.3% to $26m from $29m.
The figures place Nigeria ahead of its continental peers. Among African countries listed in the report, Nigeria recorded the highest value of US automotive imports, ahead of South Africa’s $313m, a notable widening of the gap from 2025, when the two countries’ totals were roughly comparable.The uptick in vehicle imports appears consistent with broader trends in port activity.The
The Nigerian Ports Authority reported that total vehicle units handled in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2026 rose to 58,870 from 35,262 a year earlier, a 67% increase, per its Q1 2026 Operational Performance Review.
If sustained, the pace would mark a continuation of a longer-running rebound in Nigeria’s auto import demand, which had been weighed down through much of 2023–2024 by naira volatility and elevated landing costs.
Analysts frequently attribute the renewed appetite for imported vehicles to improved foreign exchange stability, though it’s worth noting the underlying structural picture hasn’t shifted: Nigeria continues to rely overwhelmingly on fully built imports rather than domestic assembly, unlike South Africa, whose import mix leans more heavily toward parts, a sign of its comparatively developed local manufacturing base.
