Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria
Nigeria: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 25.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 25.6% for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in 2023.
The figure is up 16.9% on the previous year and down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria peaked at 32.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1974.
Nigeria ranks 49th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.3% | — |
| 1961 | 0.4% | +15.1% |
| 1962 | 1.4% | +270.9% |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +12.0% |
| 1964 | 4.5% | +175.7% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | -38.2% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | -17.8% |
| 1968 | 3.2% | +45.2% |
| 1969 | 3.1% | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 2.5% | -21.0% |
| 1971 | 1.9% | -24.4% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | -21.6% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -64.4% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -82.6% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | +83.1% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | +646.5% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | -25.9% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | -6.7% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | -30.5% |
| 1981 | 4.3% | +627.4% |
| 1982 | 1.9% | -56.3% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | -46.6% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | +22.7% |
| 1985 | 4.5% | +269.0% |
| 1986 | 1.9% | -57.7% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.3% | +20.8% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -50.6% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -79.6% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | +896.2% |
| 1992 | 5.1% | +117.4% |
| 1993 | 7.5% | +48.3% |
| 1994 | 7.7% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 10.1% | +30.9% |
| 1996 | 12.0% | +18.7% |
| 1997 | 12.5% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 16.5% | +31.8% |
| 1999 | 26.8% | +62.1% |
| 2000 | 20.7% | -22.9% |
| 2001 | 21.9% | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 26.9% | +22.9% |
| 2003 | 28.9% | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 29.0% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 29.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 29.3% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 28.7% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 28.7% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 29.0% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 28.2% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 29.0% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 29.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 29.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 29.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 29.6% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 30.2% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 30.4% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 29.6% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 30.5% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 32.3% | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 21.9% | -32.0% |
| 2023 | 25.6% | +16.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 25.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.4%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 25.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +896.2% | 0.2% | 2.3% |
| 1976 | +646.5% | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| 1981 | +627.4% | 0.6% | 4.3% |
| 1962 | +270.9% | 0.4% | 1.4% |
| 1985 | +269.0% | 1.2% | 4.5% |
| 1964 | +175.7% | 1.6% | 4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 0.3% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.0% | 0.1% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.3% | 1.0% | 4.5% | 9 |
| 1990s | 10.1% | 0.2% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.2% | 20.7% | 29.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.2% | 28.2% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.6% | 21.9% | 32.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More private sector data for Nigeria
- Merchandise trade 33.3% (2025)
- Food imports 11.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 46.0% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 41.45 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 6.0% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 3.5% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 55.47 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 233.52 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1907 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.03 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Nigeria was 25.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1974.
- How does Nigeria rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Nigeria ranks 49th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.