The United States recorded a $576 million trade surplus with Nigeria in the first half of 2025, a stark reversal from a $779 million deficit in the same period of 2024, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis. This shift was driven by a 41% surge in U.S. exports to Nigeria, rising from $2.36 billion to $3.34 billion, while Nigerian imports to the U.S. dropped 12% from $3.14 billion to $2.76 billion, resulting in a $1.3 billion swing.
June 2025 underscored the trend, with U.S. exports to Nigeria soaring 196% to $919 million from $310 million, and imports growing modestly by 29% to $639 million, flipping a $182 million deficit into a $280 million surplus. Nigeria’s reliance on U.S. manufactured goods, including machinery, vehicles, and pharmaceuticals, amid foreign exchange shortages, fueled the change.
Despite this, the broader U.S.–Africa trade balance remained negative, with a $3.69 billion deficit in H1 2025, up from $3.61 billion in 2024. U.S. exports to Africa rose 29% to $19.7 billion, but imports climbed 24% to $23.4 billion. Nigeria and Egypt, with a $2.73 billion surplus, were exceptions, while South Africa’s deficit nearly doubled to $6.32 billion.
New U.S. tariffs, effective August 7, 2025, set Nigeria’s rate at 15%, up from 14% under the April “Liberation Day” order, adding pressure on its resource-driven exports. Nigeria’s economic context, with a 67.12% rise in capital importation to $5.64 billion in Q1 2025, contrasts with challenges like naira volatility (N1,560/$1) and 21.88% inflation in July.
