Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Nigeria
Nigeria: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 32.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Nigeria, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 32.7% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
That represents a change of down 12.4% on the previous year and down 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Nigeria peaked at 45.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1960.
That places Nigeria 51st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.2% | — |
| 1961 | 3.6% | +64.7% |
| 1962 | 5.4% | +49.3% |
| 1963 | 4.2% | -22.2% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | +17.5% |
| 1965 | 6.0% | +22.0% |
| 1966 | 6.6% | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 6.7% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 5.9% | -12.1% |
| 1969 | 6.8% | +16.3% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | -26.3% |
| 1971 | 5.4% | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 4.6% | -15.6% |
| 1973 | 4.7% | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 4.8% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 3.7% | -22.9% |
| 1976 | 4.4% | +19.4% |
| 1977 | 3.6% | -18.6% |
| 1978 | 4.4% | +23.6% |
| 1979 | 5.8% | +30.5% |
| 1981 | 6.5% | +11.6% |
| 1982 | 7.1% | +8.9% |
| 1983 | 5.4% | -23.4% |
| 1984 | 6.4% | +19.3% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | +74.6% |
| 1986 | 5.8% | -48.0% |
| 1987 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 9.2% | +57.7% |
| 1989 | 8.7% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 10.5% | +20.9% |
| 1991 | 10.6% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 9.7% | -8.4% |
| 1993 | 10.6% | +9.4% |
| 1994 | 10.9% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 14.0% | +28.7% |
| 1996 | 15.1% | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 20.0% | +31.9% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | +9.5% |
| 1999 | 24.0% | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 16.3% | -32.0% |
| 2001 | 18.0% | +10.3% |
| 2002 | 20.1% | +11.7% |
| 2003 | 39.1% | +94.9% |
| 2004 | 39.0% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 39.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 39.8% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 39.3% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 39.0% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 38.7% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 38.5% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 39.0% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 39.0% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 39.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 39.0% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 39.0% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 37.8% | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 39.0% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 39.0% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 45.1% | +15.6% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 37.3% | -12.7% |
| 2023 | 32.7% | -12.4% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 32.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.9%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 32.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +94.9% | 20.1% | 39.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.3% | 2.2% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 5.4% | 11.3% | 9 |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 9.7% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.8% | 16.3% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.8% | 37.8% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.5% | 32.7% | 45.1% | 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Nigeria?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Nigeria was 32.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 45.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Nigeria ranks 51st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.1%. 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from 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 imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.