Nigeria spent N3.30 trillion importing food and beverages in the first half of 2026, despite a slight decline from the same period last year.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that imports rose from N1.39 trillion in the first quarter to N1.91 trillion in the second.
The News Chronicle reports that Nigeria’s H1 food import bill decreased by 3.1%, compared to the N3.40 trillion recorded in the first half of the year 2025.
Processed food and beverages accounted for N1.72 trillion, while primary food products made up N1.58 trillion of the 2026 figure. Household consumption made up a large portion of both items, indicating a continued reliance on imported foodstuffs.
Nigeria’s annual food and beverage import bill hit N7.65 trillion in 2025, up from N6.58 trillion in 2024.
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Against the backdrop of the rising cost of food items and lack of access to some staples, the Food and Agriculture Organization said 34.7 million Nigerians could face severe food insecurity as the next lean season kicks in.
This situation that has prompted a call for sustained effort to boost local production, storage, and processing of food items to reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
