Motorcycles on display
By Taiwo Temitope
Nigerians have spent about 146.11 billion naira on motorcycle imports in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest foreign trade data from the National Bureau of Statistics(NBS).
This represents a sharp 24.4 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, when the country imported 117.4 billion naira worth of motorcycles.
The report specifically noted that most of these imports were “motorcycles and cycles fitted with auxiliary motor, petrol fuel, capacity” shipped in from India.
This development is coming despite the several manufacturing plants in-country as well as ban on the use of motorcycles in several states across the country following security and safety concerns.
Security restrictions on motorcycles have been in place for years across various regions.
In 2019, the Nigerian Army prohibited their use in remote areas of seven northern states – Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger – as part of counter-banditry measures.
Lagos State has implemented partial or total bans on commercial motorcycles at least four times since 1999.
Several eastern states, including Enugu and Anambra, have also imposed similar restrictions.
The NBS report further revealed that Nigeria spent a massive 7.8 trillion naira in Q1 2025 on imports including used vehicles, motorcycles, agricultural chemicals, industrial machinery and telecommunications equipment.
All these accounted for 21.67 per cent of the country’s total trade during the period.
This continued heavy reliance on imports raises questions about domestic production capacity and the effectiveness of various bans on motorcycle usage across different states.
