Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) was 1.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Ores and metals imports in Nigeria, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ores and metals imports in Nigeria is 1.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 17.3% on the previous year and down 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals imports in Nigeria peaked at 3.7% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2023.
That places Nigeria 107th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 2.1% | — |
| 1963 | 2.3% | +9.4% |
| 1964 | 2.2% | -5.0% |
| 1965 | 2.2% | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 2.6% | +21.5% |
| 1967 | 2.7% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 2.8% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 2.2% | -21.2% |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 2.2% | -7.9% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | +6.1% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -18.1% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -17.0% |
| 1978 | 1.7% | +14.5% |
| 1979 | 2.4% | +39.7% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -17.1% |
| 1983 | 2.9% | +46.3% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 3.7% | +20.5% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -32.9% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | +40.8% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | -33.5% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +40.6% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | -26.4% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | +8.9% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -13.5% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -26.8% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | +78.7% |
| 2007 | 3.2% | +11.1% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -40.5% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -39.0% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +12.2% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | +73.3% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -13.9% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -21.3% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | +138.0% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -64.7% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -7.4% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -11.1% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | -15.7% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | +27.2% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | +17.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.2%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.0%, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +138.0% | 1.4% | 3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 8 |
| 1970s | 2.1% | 1.5% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 1.9% | 3.7% | 6 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.3% | 4 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.6% | 3.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More energy & mining data for Nigeria
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fuel imports 33.2% (2025)
- Fuel exports 85.9% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 0.9% (2025)
- Gas production 507.74 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 2,138 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 507.74 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 2,138 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals imports in Nigeria?
- Ores and metals imports in Nigeria was 1.3% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals imports recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 1985.
- What is the lowest ores and metals imports recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2023.
- How does Nigeria rank for ores and metals imports?
- Nigeria ranks 107th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ores and metals imports rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.