China For 40% Of Nigeria’s N28tn Imports In H1 2026 Amid Counterfeit Concerns

Nigeria imported goods worth N11.01 trillion from China in the first half of 2026, representing nearly 40 per cent of the country’s total N28.04tn imports, according to an analysis of National Bureau of Statistics data. Imports from China rose from N5.10tn in Q1 to N5.92tn in Q2, up 14.49 per cent from N9.62tn in H1 2025, even as Nigeria’s overall import bill fell 15.37 per cent, pushing China’s share of total imports from 29.03 per cent to 39.27 per cent year-on-year.

China also accounted for 68.34 per cent of Nigeria’s N16.12tn imports from Asia during the period, with major products spanning telecommunications equipment, agricultural machinery, herbicides, photovoltaic panels and construction machinery.

The trade relationship remains heavily imbalanced: Nigeria exported only N1.09tn worth of goods to China in H1 2026 against N11.01tn in imports, producing an estimated N9.92tn trade deficit, meaning Nigeria imported about N10.11 worth of Chinese goods for every N1 it exported to China.

The rising import volumes coincide with growing concern from NAFDAC over counterfeit networks linked to Chinese operators in Nigeria. The agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, said counterfeiters now operate directly within Nigeria, identifying popular products, arranging replication in China and using Chinese-owned logistics companies to distribute fakes locally, a shift from the earlier model where Nigerian counterfeiters travelled abroad.

NAFDAC said it had secured 64 convictions between June 2025 and June 2026 and destroyed or seized more than N1.54tn worth of fake and substandard products since 2023, though officials clarified the N11.01tn Chinese import figure does not imply those goods were counterfeit.

Organised Private Sector operators said counterfeiting was eroding profits and discouraging investment. NASSI Lagos Vice Chairman Peter Popoola said small manufacturers lack the resources to protect their products legally, while Spectra Industries CEO Duro Kuteyi said shrinking household incomes were pushing consumers toward cheaper counterfeit goods.