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Africa

Export to Nigeria

Africa's most populous country and a big buyer of Indian medicines, vehicles and machinery. Form M, SONCAP and NAFDAC rules apply.

Capital
Abuja
Currency
NGN
Trade agreement with India
None
Main ports
Lagos — Apapa, Lagos — Tin Can Island, Lekki Deep Sea Port

Nigeria has no trade agreement with India. It is a large market for Indian medicines, motorcycles, vehicles, machinery and plastics. Paperwork starts before you ship: the buyer must open a Form M through its bank, and regulated goods need SONCAP or NAFDAC clearance.

What it buys from India

  • Medicines and pharmaceutical products
  • Motorcycles, vehicles and auto parts
  • Machinery, electrical equipment and plastics
  • Petroleum products and textiles

Import rules on their side

  • The buyer must register a Form M with its authorised bank before the goods are shipped; your proforma invoice is attached to it, so keep the final invoice consistent with it.
  • Regulated goods need SONCAP certification from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON): a product certificate and a SONCAP certificate for each shipment, issued by an accredited agent after inspection in India.
  • Food, medicines, cosmetics and chemicals must be registered with NAFDAC before import. Nigeria Customs keeps an import prohibition list — check it for your product.

Practical tips

  • Prefer advance payment or a confirmed LC from a bank your Indian bank accepts. Buyers' access to foreign currency can delay payment, so check ECGC cover before giving credit.
  • Be careful with unsolicited email orders and changed bank details; verify the buyer through the Indian High Commission in Abuja or your bank.
  • Book the SONCAP inspection early; shipments without it face delays and penalties at Lagos.
Sources (6)
  1. Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) — SONCAP
  2. NAFDAC — National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigeria
  3. Nigeria Customs Service (import guidelines and prohibition list)
  4. Nigeria Trade Single Window
  5. ECGC Ltd — export credit insurance and country risk
  6. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to Nigeria in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat (Indian financial years, April–March), the country’s imports from the world from UN Comtrade, and its basics from the World Bank.

India’s exports here, 2025-26
US$ 3.13 bn
No. 34 of our 80 countries
Change from 2024-25
↑ +6.3%
US$ 2.95 bn → US$ 3.13 bn
Share of all Indian exports
0.71%
Its imports from the world
—
2020-21: US$ 3.13 bn3.1k2020-212021-22: US$ 4.66 bn4.7k2021-222022-23: US$ 5.16 bn5.2k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 2.95 bn2.9k2024-252025-26: US$ 3.13 bn3.1k2025-26
India’s exports to Nigeria, year by year · US$ million · TradeStat’s 2023-24 country table is double-counted, so it is not shown

What India sells here most

By HS chapter, 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1Medicines and pharmaHS 30US$ 657 mn+40.4%
2MachineryHS 84US$ 447 mn+3.4%
3Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 400 mn+30.2%
4Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 221 mn-10.3%
5CottonHS 52US$ 164 mn+13.1%
6Organic chemicalsHS 29US$ 119 mn-7.8%
7PlasticsHS 39US$ 118 mn-4.4%
8Other chemical productsHS 38US$ 98.8 mn+33.9%
9Woven garmentsHS 62US$ 72.9 mn+10.5%
10Essential oils, cosmeticsHS 33US$ 67.4 mn+23%
11Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 48.2 mn-41.1%
12Inorganic chemicalsHS 28US$ 46.2 mn+31.4%

What is rising and what is falling

Chapters where India sells at least US$ 5 million. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Furniture, lightingUS$ 5.4 mn → US$ 16.9 mn+212.2%
  2. Special fabrics, laceUS$ 9.3 mn → US$ 15.7 mn+69.9%
  3. TobaccoUS$ 20.9 mn → US$ 34.6 mn+65.7%
  4. Medicines and pharmaUS$ 468 mn → US$ 657 mn+40.4%
  5. Coffee, tea, spicesUS$ 14.8 mn → US$ 20.6 mn+38.5%
  6. Other chemical productsUS$ 73.8 mn → US$ 98.8 mn+33.9%
  7. Inorganic chemicalsUS$ 35.1 mn → US$ 46.2 mn+31.4%
  8. Vehicles and partsUS$ 307 mn → US$ 400 mn+30.2%

Low demand

  1. Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 137 mn → US$ 44.6 mn-67.4%
  2. Iron and steel articlesUS$ 81.9 mn → US$ 48.2 mn-41.1%
  3. Paper and paperboardUS$ 42.1 mn → US$ 26.5 mn-36.9%
  4. Iron and steelUS$ 24.8 mn → US$ 20.3 mn-18.1%
  5. Dyes, paints, inksUS$ 39.4 mn → US$ 34.6 mn-12.2%
  6. Explosives, matchesUS$ 27 mn → US$ 23.7 mn-12.2%
  7. Knitted garmentsUS$ 48.9 mn → US$ 43 mn-12.1%
  8. Electrical and electronicsUS$ 246 mn → US$ 221 mn-10.3%

Our product guides that sell here

India’s exports of each product to this country, 2025-26.

Name2025-26Change
1Generic medicines (formulations)US$ 480 mn+21.3%
2Motorcycles and scootersUS$ 187 mn-0.7%
3Vaccines and blood productsUS$ 172 mn+157.4%
4Cotton woven fabricsUS$ 163 mn+13%
5Passenger carsUS$ 137 mn+122.8%
6Readymade garmentsUS$ 116 mn+0.9%
7Wires and cablesUS$ 57.8 mn+21.5%
8Agrochemicals (pesticides)US$ 45.9 mn+61.9%
9Electric motors and generatorsUS$ 39.2 mn+43.9%
10Switches, sockets and switchgearUS$ 36.6 mn+35.5%
11Unmanufactured tobaccoUS$ 31.8 mn+74%
12BatteriesUS$ 29.2 mn-59.3%

The 20 biggest export lines

4-digit HS lines, 2025-26, with their Harmonized System descriptions.

Name2025-26Change
1MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 480 mn+21.3%
2Motorcycles and cyclesHS 8711US$ 187 mn-0.7%
3Human bloodHS 3002US$ 172 mn+157.4%
4Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing not more than 200 g/m2HS 5208US$ 157 mn+12.8%
5Motor cars and other motor vehiclesHS 8703US$ 137 mn+122.8%
6Insulated wire, cable and other electric conductors, connector fitted or notHS 8544US$ 57.8 mn+21.5%
7Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products, plant growth regulators…HS 3808US$ 45.9 mn+61.9%
8Machinery and mechanical appliancesHS 8479US$ 44.1 mn+13.3%
9Motor vehiclesHS 8708US$ 41.7 mn+41.2%
10Odoriferous substances and mixtures with a basis of one or more of these substances, of a kind used as raw…HS 3302US$ 37.4 mn+22.2%
11Electric generating sets and rotary convertersHS 8502US$ 35.5 mn+51.6%
12T-shirts, singlets and other vestsHS 6109US$ 34.5 mn+4.7%
13Suits, ensembles, jackets, dresses, skirts, divided skirts, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and…HS 6204US$ 33.9 mn+10.7%
14Tobacco, unmanufacturedHS 2401US$ 31.8 mn+74%
15Electric accumulators, including separators thereforHS 8507US$ 29.2 mn-59.3%
16Petroleum jellyHS 2712US$ 27.7 mn+27.5%
17Electric transformers, static converters and inductorsHS 8504US$ 26.9 mn-33.6%
18Machinery, plant, or laboratory equipmentHS 8419US$ 26.5 mn-62.9%
19PlasticsHS 3920US$ 26 mn+25.3%
20Boards, panels, consoles, desks, cabinets, bases with apparatus of heading no. 8535, 8536 for electricity…HS 8537US$ 24.8 mn+58%

What India buys from Nigeria

India’s imports from this country in 2025-26 by HS chapter, from TradeStat — this country can be your supplier too.

India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 5.9 bn
US$ 4.19 bn → US$ 5.9 bn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 3.13 bn
Trade balance
−US$ 2.76 bn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
+40.6%
Name2025-26Change
1Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—+38.2%
2Fruit and nutsHS 08—+139.8%
3FertilisersHS 31—+91.5%
4Oilseeds and seedsHS 12—+112.5%
5AluminiumHS 76—+12.4%
6Hides and skinsHS 41—-18.1%
7RubberHS 40—+7%
8VegetablesHS 07—-43.8%
9Coffee, tea, spicesHS 09—-17.8%
10WoodHS 44—+7.3%

The country at a glance

Population
238 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 290.8 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 1,224
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 710 mn
1960

Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · World Bank — World Development Indicators · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

What to send to Nigeria

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