NBS: Transport sector grew by 13.7% in Q2 2025 — but dropped below Q1 figure

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the transportation and storage sector grew by 13.67 percent in nominal terms in the second quarter (Q2) of 2025.

The bureau, in its Q2 2025 gross domestic product (GDP) report on Monday, said all six sub-activities — road transport; rail transport and pipelines; water transport; air transport; transport services; and post and courier services — recorded positive growth rates during the review period.

According to NBS, the growth rate was higher than the 8.47 percent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2024 but lower than the 53.56 percent recorded in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025.

“This rate was higher relative to the figure of 8.47% recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2024 and lower than 53.56% in the previous quarter,” the statistics firm said.

“Quarter-on-quarter growth stood at -50.47%. Transport activities contributed 0.70% to Nominal GDP in Q2 2025, a decrease from the 0.73% recorded in the corresponding period of 2024, and lower than the 1.51% recorded in the first quarter of 2025.”

In real terms, NBS said the sector expanded by 22.09 percent, representing 30.18 percentage points higher than the rate in Q2 2024 and 8.01 points higher than Q1 2025.“Quarter-on-quarter, growth was -31.83%. The contribution of the sector to real GDP in Q2 of 2025 was 0.65%, higher than the 0.56% recorded in the preceding year and lower than 0.99% recorded in the first quarter of 2025,” the report added.

‘TRADE GREW BY 43.8% IN Q2’

The bureau said trade grew by 43.83 percent in nominal terms in Q2 2025, up from 34.34 percent in the same quarter of 2024 and 9.13 percent in the preceding quarter.

“This indicates an increase of 9.49% points when compared to the second quarter of 2024 growth rate of 34.34% and 34.70% points higher than the previous quarter’s growth rate of 9.13%,” NBS said.

“The quarter-on-quarter growth rate was 78.96%.”

The statistics firm said trade contributed 25.93 percent to nominal GDP in Q2 2025, compared to 21.49 percent in Q2 2024 and 15.52 percent in Q1 2025.

NBS said in real terms, trade recorded a year-on-year growth of 1.29 percent in Q2 2025, lower than the 1.82 percent posted in the same quarter of 2024 and 1.78 percent in Q1 2025.

“Quarter-on-quarter growth stood at 4.18%,” the report said.

The bureau added that trade’s contribution to real GDP stood at 18.28 percent — lower than 18.81 percent in Q2 2024, but slightly above the 18.21 percent recorded in Q1 2025.

NBS: Transport sector grew by 13.7% in Q2 2025 — but dropped below Q1 figure