
Wait… Nigeria spent how much on motorcycles this year?
Yep, you read that right. In just the first quarter of 2025 alone, Nigeria shelled out a jaw-dropping ₦146.11 billion importing motorcycles—mostly from India. That’s a cool ₦28 billion more than what we spent during the same period last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Apparently, we’re revving up the import bill despite all the noise about local manufacturing and multiple bans across different states.
Let’s rewind. This isn’t just about people loving their two-wheel rides. The NBS report revealed that most of these motorcycles were CKD (Completely Knocked Down) petrol-powered units with engine capacities between 50cc and 250cc. India, as usual, remains our go-to supplier.
Now here’s where it gets wild: several Nigerian states have placed outright bans or heavy restrictions on motorcycle use. Lagos alone has dropped the ban hammer more times than we can count. Northern states like Katsina, Kaduna, and Zamfara banned bikes due to rising security concerns, and even parts of the East like Anambra and Enugu have joined the no-okada club. So the question remains: where are all these bikes going?
To make things even more curious, motorcycles are just part of the puzzle. Nigeria spent a total of ₦7.8 trillion importing used vehicles, motorcycles, herbicides, polypropylene, and communication machines in Q1’25. That’s over 21% of our entire trade activity during the quarter.
Moral of the story? While we’re banning bikes in major cities and preaching industrial development, we’re still massively reliant on imports. The numbers don’t lie—and neither does the smell of missed opportunities in local production.
Your move, policymakers.