Arms imports rise 104% to N55bn in six months

By Efe Onodjae
Importation of arms and ammunition into Nigeria rose by 104.31 per cent in the first half of 2026, reaching N55.06 billion, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
The figure, contained in the NBS Foreign Trade Statistics for the second quarter of 2026, represents an increase of N28.11 billion from the N26.95 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
The development has heightened concerns over the movement of arms into the country, particularly against the backdrop of recent interceptions of consignments of pump-action rifles by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.
The increase also comes less than a year before the 2027 general elec...