Nigeria’s Food Import Bill Tops ₦3 Trillion in First Half of 2026

News in Brief:

— According to the NBS, Nigeria spent over ₦3 trillion importing food and beverages in the first half of 2026.

— The rising import bill comes amid concerns over food production, insecurity, high input costs, and household access to food.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest foreign trade report, Nigeria imported food and beverages worth ₦1.39 trillion in Q1, which then increased to ₦1.91 trillion in Q2, totalling about ₦3.30 trillion

Although this figure was 3.1 per cent lower than the ₦3.40 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, the scale of expenditure remains significant for an economy seeking to strengthen domestic agriculture and food security.

Processed Food Accounts for Over Half of Imports

The data showed that processed food and beverage products accounted for ₦1.72 trillion of the total import bill during the six months.

The category increased from ₦758.52 billion in Q1 to ₦956.67 billion in Q2. Primary products imported mainly for household consumption accounted for another ₦811.93 billion. Imports under this category rose sharply from ₦280.81 billion in Q1 to ₦531.12 billion in Q2.

Meanwhile, primary products mainly used by industries accounted for ₦770.54 billion, comprising ₦353.24 billion in Q1 and ₦417.31 billion in Q2. The figures indicate that Nigeria’s food import dependence cuts across both household consumption and industrial demand.

Import Bill Remains High Despite Year-on-Year Decline

For financial analyst and Professor of Accounting at Lead City University, Ibadan, Godwin Oyedokun, the latest figures highlight the need to address weaknesses in the domestic agricultural system.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has projected that 34.7 million Nigerians could face high levels of acute food insecurity during the 2026 lean season. A later FAO-WFP assessment estimated that 34.8 million people faced acute food insecurity between June and August 2026, including people in Emergency conditions and an estimated 15,000 people at risk of Catastrophe in parts of Borno State.

The food security challenge is particularly pronounced in northeastern Nigeria, where conflict and displacement have disrupted farming and markets.

Agriculture Faces Production, Value-Chain Challenge

Nigeria’s large food import expenditure also reflects gaps beyond primary agricultural production. Farmers require access to quality inputs, finance, irrigation, mechanisation, storage, processing facilities and reliable markets. Where these systems are weak, locally produced food can become more expensive or less competitive, while imported alternatives continue to fill market gaps.

Post-harvest losses further compound the problem by reducing the amount of food that ultimately reaches consumers after production.

To reduce Nigeria's exposure to food imports, increasing farm output alone may be insufficient. Investment across the wider agricultural value chain will be required to ensure that crops and livestock products can be produced, stored, processed and distributed efficiently.