KEY POINTS

• Nigeria’s intra-African trade rose 21 percent to $9.02bn in 2025, from $7.47bn in 2024.
• Crude oil led exports, but chemicals, plastics, food products and cement diversified the basket.
• Afreximbank credited tariff concessions and a new air cargo corridor for the growth.

Nigeria recorded a 21 percent increase in intra-African trade in 2025, with total trade rising to $9.02 billion as the African Continental Free Trade Area continued to unlock new export opportunities and deepen regional integration. According to the latest African Trade Report 2026 from Afreximbank, the gains came as businesses leveraged preferential market access and lower trade barriers.

A rising tide of Nigeria intra-African trade

The report showed that Nigeria’s trade with the rest of Africa grew from $7.47 billion in 2024 to $9.02 billion in 2025, consolidating the country’s place among the continent’s leading intra-African trading nations. According to Afreximbank, Nigeria’s intensified focus on regional commerce and its deliberate efforts to leverage the AfCFTA drove the growth.

Moreover, while crude oil remained Nigeria’s dominant export to African markets, the report noted increasing diversification. Key non-oil exports included chemicals, plastics and rubber products, processed agricultural goods, food products, urea and cement. Consequently, the trend signals that local manufacturers are beginning to tap the continent’s fast-growing consumer market, even as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on traditional destinations outside Africa.

Policy and logistics drive the gains

Furthermore, Afreximbank said Nigeria stepped up efforts to widen market access and lower trade costs for domestic exporters. It identified the gazetting of Nigeria’s Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions in April 2025 as a major milestone. According to the bank, the move enabled Nigerian products to qualify for preferential tariffs across AfCFTA member states, while it granted reciprocal access to imports from participating countries.

In addition, the report highlighted new logistics initiatives, including a dedicated air cargo corridor that links Nigeria with East and Southern Africa. Therefore, Afreximbank said the corridor is cutting transportation costs and improving the competitiveness of Nigeria’s intra-African trade.

Ultimately, the figures point to a steady payoff from the AfCFTA, as policy reforms and better logistics combine to push more Nigerian goods across the continent. By pairing tariff concessions with cheaper freight, the country is positioning its exporters to compete in a larger, more integrated African market, which could deepen diversification and reduce its long dependence on oil and on buyers beyond the continent.