Nigeria spent $2.34 billion on food imports in 2025, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), highlighting the country’s continued dependence on imported food despite efforts to boost domestic agricultural production.
Figures contained in the CBN’s latest Quarterly Statistical Bulletin showed that the country’s food import bill fell from $2.53 billion in 2024 to $2.34 billion in 2025, representing a decline of about 7.4 per cent. However, food imports remained a significant source of foreign exchange demand throughout the year.
An analysis of the data indicated that monthly spending on food imports remained above $140 million throughout 2025. The highest monthly expenditure was recorded in September at $248.6 million, followed by December at $245.9 million and July at $229.7 million.
The figures also showed stronger demand for food imports in the second half of the year. Between July and December 2025, Nigeria spent approximately $1.28 billion on imported food products, compared with $1.07 billion in the first six months of the year.
Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have linked the country’s reliance on food imports to insecurity, which has disrupted farming activities in several food producing regions.
President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Femi Egbesola, said insecurity had forced many farmers off their land, reducing local agricultural output and increasing dependence on imported food.
“Most of the farmers are no longer on the farms because of insecurity. Many farmlands have been deserted. That is where the primary products come from. It is when the farmers plant and harvest. That is when the manufacturers and other users can buy from them and use them as their inputs. This time, many of the farms are deserted,” Egbesola said.
He also cited low adoption of modern agricultural technology and mechanisation as factors limiting productivity and preventing Nigeria from meeting domestic food demand.
The latest data comes amid growing concerns over food security and rising food prices, with industry groups urging the government to strengthen support for farmers, improve security in rural communities, and expand investments in agricultural technology and infrastructure to reduce dependence on imports. Studies and industry reports have consistently identified insecurity as a major constraint on agricultural production in Nigeria.
Despite the decline in the annual import bill, analysts say the figures underscore the challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural sector and the need for sustained reforms aimed at increasing local food production and reducing pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
