Nigeria becomes top African buyer of Russian wheat, soaring fivefold in Q1 2025
This dramatic rise positions Nigeria as a key player in Russia’s expanding agricultural trade with Africa.
NIGERIA – Nigeria has emerged as the leading African destination for Russian wheat in the first quarter of 2025, importing 262,000 metric tons, a staggering fivefold increase compared to the same period last year.
This dramatic rise positions Nigeria as a key player in Russia’s expanding agricultural trade with Africa, according to the Federal Center for Evaluation of Safety and Quality of Agribusiness Products, as reported by TASS.
The surge in Nigerian imports reflects a broader trend across the continent, with several African countries significantly boosting their procurement of Russian wheat.
Morocco doubled its imports to 174,000 metric tons, while Mozambique saw an 11.7-fold increase to 73,800 metric tons. Cameroon raised its imports by 2.2 times to 50,000 metric tons, and Burundi’s intake jumped 9.6 times to 30,500 metric tons. Russia also resumed wheat exports to Togo, delivering 27,000 metric tons for the first time since 2022.
“These data demonstrate extensive growth of Russian exports in certain regions consisting in the increase of volumes of supplies and intensive growth reflected in diversification of end markets,” the center stated, noting the strategic importance of African markets in Russia’s grain export expansion.
In the Middle East, a similar upward trend in Russian wheat imports was recorded. Lebanon tripled its intake to 149,000 metric tons in Q1 2025. Iraq doubled its imports, while Israel saw an 11% year-on-year increase.
In Asia, the Republic of Korea increased its grain imports from Russia by 2.2 times to 184,600 metric tons. Corn made up the bulk of this, at 103,600 metric tons, with wheat contributing 79,700 metric tons. Japan, which had no imports from Russia during the same period in 2024, brought in 10,500 metric tons of corn in Q1 2025.
China continued to strengthen its agricultural trade ties with Russia, doubling its linseed imports and increasing buckwheat imports by 2.5 times to 134,200 metric tons. Additionally, China was the largest importer of Russian rapeseed cake and meal, buying 141,000 metric tons, more than four times the volume recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
Flour, processed rapeseed products also see sharp uptick
Russian wheat flour exports to Mongolia more than doubled to 15,500 metric tons in Q1 2025, while wheat deliveries to North Korea doubled to 5,600 metric tons.
Israel’s wheat imports from Russia soared twentyfold to 4,300 metric tons. Meanwhile, exports of processed rapeseed products rose by 87% overall, with Turkey increasing its purchases by 75% to 35,900 metric tons.
The data paints a clear picture of Russia’s expanding role in global grain and agricultural exports, driven by price competitiveness and increased availability.
Sign up to HERE receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
