Nigeria vs South Africa: Merchandise imports, WB

Nigeria
62.16 billion current US$
in 2011
South Africa
115.00 billion current US$
in 2009
Nigeria rank
2nd
South Africa rank
1st

Merchandise imports, WB over time

  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
025.0B50.0B75.0B100.0B125.0B196519882011

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 115.00 billion current US$ against 62.16 billion current US$ in Nigeria, a difference of 52.84 billion current US$.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.9 times Nigeria's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1965 it was South Africa ahead.

Nigeria ranks 2nd and South Africa ranks 1st of 51 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Nigeria South Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 652.09 million current US$ 5.53 billion current US$ 4.88 billion current US$ South Africa
1970s 6.86 billion current US$ 14.46 billion current US$ 7.61 billion current US$ South Africa
1980s 12.09 billion current US$ 17.99 billion current US$ 5.91 billion current US$ South Africa
1990s 9.09 billion current US$ 33.01 billion current US$ 23.92 billion current US$ South Africa
2000s 23.14 billion current US$ 60.46 billion current US$ 37.32 billion current US$ South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher merchandise imports, wb, Nigeria or South Africa?
South Africa, at 115.00 billion current US$ against 62.16 billion current US$ in Nigeria as of 2009.
What is the difference in merchandise imports, wb between Nigeria and South Africa?
52.84 billion current US$, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
45 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2009.
How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for merchandise imports, wb?
Nigeria ranks 2nd and South Africa ranks 1st of 51 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank country economists, published as Merchandise imports, WB (current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Nigeria vs South Africa: Merchandise imports, WB. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank country economists. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://trade.statizoid.com/compare/merchandise-imports-wb-current-us/nigeria/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Merchandise imports, WB (current US$)
Unit
current US$
Source
World Bank country economists
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
57 places, 1,786 data points, 1965–2011
Last refreshed

Total merchandise imports, cif (includes freight and insurance costs) in current US dollars.