Nigeria’s arms imports surged 129 per cent in the first half of 2025, with the country spending ₦26.95 billion compared with ₦11.76 billion in the same period of 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics said in its foreign trade report.
The increase marks a rebound after a sharp slump last year and reflects renewed procurement to combat insecurity. Most of the imports, ₦22.08 billion, were made in Q1, while Q2 imports slowed to ₦4.87 billion but still outpaced the ₦1.04 billion recorded a year earlier.
Nigeria’s defence imports have fluctuated sharply in recent years, spiking to a record ₦121.36 billion in H1 2023 before collapsing in 2024. Analysts say procurement is tied to contract cycles and fiscal releases, rather than steady growth.
While arms purchases strengthen military capacity, they also strain foreign reserves and widen trade deficits. The uptick comes amid persistent insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping across multiple regions
