Nigeria’s passenger motor car imports surged 145.6% year-on-year to N1.18 trillion in the first half of 2026, driving a broader increase in the country’s transport equipment import bill.
The figure compares with N479.26 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
This is according to Nairametrics’ analysis of the Q1 and Q2 2026 Foreign Trade Statistics reports released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Overall, Nigeria imported N3.73 trillion worth of transport equipment and parts in H1 2026, up 44.2% from N2.59 trillion in H1 2025.
Transport equipment imports rose from N1.75 trillion in Q1 to N1.99 trillion in Q2, while passenger motor car imports increased from N552.34 billion to N624.75 billion over the same period.
Passenger motor cars recorded the strongest growth among the major transport import categories, with H1 imports more than doubling from the previous year.
Imports of parts and accessories stood at N722.59 billion in H1 2026, compared with N755.43 billion in the same period of 2025, representing a decline of about 4.4%.
The data therefore shows that the surge in the overall transport import bill was largely driven by complete passenger vehicles and other transport equipment, rather than parts and accessories.
The increase in passenger vehicle imports comes amid policy measures by the Federal Government aimed at reducing transportation costs and encouraging the adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles.
The surge in passenger vehicle imports shows strong demand for vehicles while demonstrating Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported transport equipment.
Nairametrics earlier reported that the country’s CNG sector had attracted more than $2 billion in private-sector investment over two years.
Despite the investment, the Federal Government fell short of its 2025 targets for nationwide CNG infrastructure.
