Trade between Nigeria and the Niger Republic rebounded strongly in 2024, with Nigerian exports soaring by 77.12% to N82.38 billion, according to the latest National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data. Total bilateral trade climbed to N91.92 billion in 2024 from N50.48 billion in 2023, despite ongoing diplomatic strains.
Export-Driven Trade Growth
Nigerian exports to Niger, which accounted for 89.62% of total trade, jumped dramatically from N46.51 billion in 2023 to N82.38 billion in 2024. Imports from Niger also recovered, rising from N3.97 billion to N9.53 billion, signaling a gradual return to economic normalcy.
A History of Volatility
Trade between the two nations has seen significant fluctuations over the past five years. In 2020, total trade was a modest N6.69 billion, before surging to N88.60 billion in 2021 and peaking at N95.76 billion in 2022. However, a political crisis in 2023—sparked by the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and subsequent diplomatic standoff and ECOWAS sanctions—dropped trade sharply to N50.48 billion. The resilient rebound in 2024 reflects a strong underlying demand for Nigerian goods in Niger.
Key Trade Commodities
Nigeria remains a major trading partner for Niger, supplying a range of essential products. In Q4 2024, cigarettes emerged as a key export, with Nigerian products worth N9.34 billion crossing the border. On the import side, Niger provided agricultural and raw materials—fresh or dried dates led the imports at N956.68 million, followed by cement at N919.07 million, fresh strawberries at N255.97 million, whole hides and skins at N125.65 million, and shelled pine nuts at N80.66 million. These imports highlight Niger’s role in Nigeria’s infrastructure and food processing sectors.
Expanding Regional Ties
Trade growth wasn’t confined to Niger alone. Nigeria’s economic exchanges with Burkina Faso and Mali also surged in 2024. Trade with Burkina Faso increased by 41.4% from N12.92 billion in 2023 to N18.26 billion in 2024, driven largely by higher exports. Even more striking was Nigeria’s trade with Mali, which skyrocketed from N12.57 billion in 2023 to N199.21 billion in 2024. Nigerian imports from Mali leaped from N269.87 million to N183.79 billion, while exports grew modestly from N12.30 billion to N15.42 billion.
This dramatic shift in trade patterns comes amid the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023—a regional bloc established by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger under the Liptako-Gourma Charter. The AES aims to enhance security cooperation among these military-led governments following their departure from ECOWAS in January 2024.
