By OKEOGHENE AKUBUIKE

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria?s total merchandise trade stood at N36,024.66 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

This is according to the NBS Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics Report for Q1 2025 released in Abuja on Wednesday.

The NBS said that the figure represented an increase of 6.19 per cent compared to the value of N33,925.72 recorded in Q1 2024.

It said that it also represented a decrease of 1.58 per cent compared to the value recorded in Q4 2024 at N36,604.83.

The report said that total exports stood at N20,598.48 billion accounting for 57.18 per cent of total trade.

The report said that total exports increased by 7.42 per cent compared to the amount recorded in Q1 2024 at N19,176.19.

?Also, total exports in Q1 2025 increased by 2.92 per cent when compared to Q4 of 2024 which was recorded at N20,014.33 billion.?

It said that in Q1 2025, Nigeria?s export trade continued to be dominated by crude oil exports valued at N12,955.03 billion which represented 62.89 per cent of total exports.

The NBS said that the value of non-crude oil exports stood at N7,643.45 billion which represented 37.11 per cent of total exports in Q1 2025.

?Non-oil products contributed N3,167.88 billion or 15.38 per cent of total exports.?

The report said that the top trading export partners in Q1 2025 were

India, The Netherlands, the United States of America, France, and Spain.

It said that the most exported commodities included crude oil, liquefied natural gas, other petroleum gases in a gaseous state, Urea, whether or not in aqueous solution, and Standard quality Cocoa beans.

The report, however, said that total imports stood at N15,426.17 billion accounting for 42.82 per cent of total trade in Q1 2025.

It said that total imports increased by 4.59 per cent compared to the value recorded in the first quarter of 2024 at N14.749.52 billion.

?Total imports decreased by 7.02 per cent when compared to the value recorded in Q4 2024 at N16,590.51 billion.?

The report said that China remained Nigeria?s highest trading partner on the import side in Q1 2025, followed by India, USA, The Netherlands, and The United Arab Emirates.

It said the most traed commodities imported in Q1 2025 were Gas oil, motor spirit, Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals.

It listed other most traded commodities as crude, Cane sugar meant for sugar refinery, and Durum wheat (Not in seeds).

The NBS said that the merchandise trade balance for Q1 2025 remained positive at N5.172 billion, showing an increase of 51.07 per cent compared to the value recorded in Q4 2024. (NAN)

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