Ores and metals imports in Nigeria

Nigeria: Ores and metals imports was 1.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1.1%
Change on year
up 27.2%
World rank
117th
of 196 countries
All-time high
3.7%
in 1985
All-time low
0.9%
in 2023
Years of data
51
1962–2024

Ores and metals imports in Nigeria, 1962–2024

1234196219932024

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 1.1%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of up 27.2% on the previous year and down 40.2% 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 117th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.

Ores and metals imports in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Nigeria, 1962 to 2024.
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%

Nigeria compared with similar countries

  • Nigeria's 1.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.1%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
  • Nigeria's 1.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.9%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Ores and metals 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.

YearChange FromTo
2017 +138.0% 1.4% 3.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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% 1.2% 5

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 114 Latvia 1.1% compare
  2. 115 Ghana 1.1% compare
  3. 116 Ecuador 1.1% compare
  4. 118 Dominican Republic 1.1% compare
  5. 119 Burundi 1.1% compare
  6. 120 Guatemala 1.1% compare

See the full ranking of 243 places →

More energy & mining data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is ores and metals imports in Nigeria?
Ores and metals imports in Nigeria was 1.1% in 2024, 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 117th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
Is ores and metals imports rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is down 40.2%. 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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Ores and metals imports in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://energy.statizoid.com/stat/ores-and-metals-imports-percent-of-merchandise-imports/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports)
Unit
% of merchandise imports
Source
Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
243 places, 9,983 data points, 1962–2025
Last refreshed

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.