Nigeria’s exports to the United States suffered a sharp setback last month, dropping from $639 million in June 2025 to $379 million in July, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The 41% decline underscores how fragile bilateral trade between the two countries has become.
The data also showed that U.S. exports to Nigeria fell in the same period, from $919 million in June to $584 million in July.
Despite the slowdown on both sides, the United States still maintained a trade surplus of $206 million in July.
From January to July 2025, the U.S. imported $3.14 billion worth of goods from Nigeria and exported $3.92 billion to Africa’s largest economy, leaving Washington with a $781 million surplus so far this year.
Historical figures reflect the broader significance of the U.S. market for Nigeria.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that Nigeria’s total imports in the fourth quarter of 2024 stood at ₦16.59 billion, with the U.S. accounting for 6.36% of that volume, making it Nigeria’s fourth most valuable import market.
In Q4 2023, Nigeria’s leading trade partners were Singapore with ₦5,092.36 billion (36.09%), China with ₦2,060.59 billion (14.61%), Belgium with ₦1,140.97 billion (8.09%), India with ₦908.59 billion (6.44%), and the U.S. with ₦512.99 billion (3.64%).
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The downturn coincides with rising trade tensions. In April 2025, the Trump administration imposed a 14% tariff on Nigerian goods, placing the country among a list of African nations targeted in Washington’s protectionist measures.
By July, the tariff had been raised to 15%, while fresh sanctions unveiled in August introduced sweeping levies ranging from 10% to 41% on dozens of nations.
President Donald Trump has argued that such tariffs are necessary to correct America’s trade imbalance, invoking emergency powers to push through the new measures.
Nigeria has not been spared from the fallout. “I think it’s a good time that this is happening to Nigeria. Trump’s tariff is not only for Nigeria.
The advantage is that we are now exporting more overall, which is positive for us,” said Dr. Aliyu Ilias, CEO of CSA Advisory and a development economist, according to The Punch.
He added, “We also have to start being on our own. We can trade with other partners and see, because other partners are also looking for partners. The tariff that is affecting us is also affecting others, so it may be a good opportunity.”
By late August, Nigeria and South Africa were forced to adjust their postal services to comply with U.S. trade directives. These adjustments followed Trump’s removal of the de minimis exception, which had previously allowed shipments worth $800 or less to enter the U.S. duty-free, as well as the cancellation of duty-free entry for international deliveries.
The latest figures highlight how Nigeria’s reliance on the American market is being tested by shifting policies in Washington, while raising questions about whether Africa’s largest economy can diversify quickly enough to reduce its vulnerability.
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Image Credit: CediRates
