Arms imports rise 104% to N55bn in six months

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By Efe Onodjae

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The increase also comes less than a year before the 2027 general elections, with security experts and stakeholders raising concerns over the possible factors driving the movement of arms into the country.

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Speaking on the development, a professor at Lagos State University, LASU, Prof. Dapo Thomas, said insecurity, political activities and the growing demand for weapons could contribute to the increase in gun-running.

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Thomas said gun-running had become a business for some individuals, adding that security challenges could encourage an increase in the supply of illegal arms

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The don, however, cautioned against attributing the increase solely to the forthcoming elections, saying insecurity and other factors could also be responsible for the development.

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Thomas said although election periods had historically been associated with increased demand for weapons, government and security agencies must remain vigilant and strengthen measures to check the inflow of arms.

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He urged the government, Customs, Police and other agencies responsible for border control and the movement of goods to intensify surveillance and monitoring of consignments entering the country.

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According to him, continued security lapses could create an environment conducive to criminal activities and illegal arms trafficking.

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Agents react

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Also speaking, the National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, Lucky Amiwero, commended the NCS over its recent interception of consignments of pump-action rifles imported from Turkey.

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Amiwero said the interceptions underscored the need for stronger cargo inspection and intelligence-sharing mechanisms to prevent prohibited items from entering the country.

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He said detecting concealed prohibited items in containers was not an easy task, stressing the importance of proper inspection of cargo.

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Amiwero said: “We have to commend the Customs for what they are doing. Intercepting those things is not an easy thing to intercept.

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“You bring up containers, they can arrange it in different ways you will not understand. If the containers are not properly inspected, you will not know that they are in there.”

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He called for greater cooperation among countries in cargo screening and information sharing, noting that pre-arrival information could assist Nigerian authorities in identifying suspicious consignments before they reach the country’s ports.

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Importers speak

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Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Importers Association of Nigeria, Ahmed Yar’Adua, said the association would meet with the NCS over the recent interceptions and concerns surrounding the movement of arms through the ports.

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Yar’Adua, who disclosed this in an interview with Vanguard, said the association had commenced discussions on the development and would engage Customs on the issue.

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The engagement is expected to bring stakeholders in the importation and clearance chain together to examine the circumstances surrounding the movement of prohibited consignments through the nation’s ports and consider measures to prevent a recurrence.

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The NBS figures showed that arms and ammunition imports increased from N26.95 billion in the first half of 2025 to N55.06 billion in the first half of 2026, representing a 104.31 per cent increase.

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The development has therefore placed renewed attention on the channels through which arms and ammunition enter the country and the capacity of relevant agencies to detect and prevent illicit consignments.

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