📌 Quick answer (October 2026): Iron rods in Nigeria sell for roughly ₦800,000 to ₦1.1 million per tonne, depending on the brand (TMT or local), your city and how much you buy. At those prices a 12-metre 12mm rod costs about ₦8,500 to ₦11,700 and a 16mm rod about ₦15,200 to ₦20,900. Prices move with the naira, so get a dated written quote, measure a sample rod and check the SON mark before you pay.
Iron Rod Price Per Piece in Nigeria (October 2026)
Most small builders buy by the piece. A standard Nigerian rod is 12 metres long. The table converts the current per-tonne range into a price per rod, using the standard weight of each size.
Size Price Change Typical use 8mmper 12m rodStirrups, links and light works ₦3,800 – ₦5,200 First check Stirrups, links and light works 10mmper 12m rodSlabs, lintels and light beams ₦5,900 – ₦8,100 First check Slabs, lintels and light beams 12mmper 12m rodFoundations, columns, beams and decking in most houses ₦8,500 – ₦11,700 First check Foundations, columns, beams and decking in most houses 16mmper 12m rodDuplex columns and beams, long spans ₦15,200 – ₦20,900 First check Duplex columns and beams, long spans 20mmper 12m rodLarge columns, commercial buildings ₦23,700 – ₦32,600 First check Large columns, commercial buildings 25mmper 12m rodMulti-storey and heavy structures ₦37,000 – ₦50,900 First check Multi-storey and heavy structures 32mmper 12m rodBridges, industrial and very heavy work ₦60,700 – ₦83,400 First check Bridges, industrial and very heavy work
The lower end matches building-cost trackers updated in early October 2026, which list a 12mm rod at about ₦8,500 and a 16mm rod at about ₦16,000 in Enugu, one of the cheaper markets. The upper end is closer to branded TMT rods bought in small quantities. Retailers selling single rods usually charge a little more than the per-tonne rate.
Iron Rod Price Per Tonne in Nigeria
Size Price Change Trend Typical use Local rods, bulkper tonneA trailer load or more About ₦800,000 – ₦900,000 First check A trailer load or more TMT rods, bulkper tonneA trailer load or more About ₦900,000 – ₦1,000,000 First check A trailer load or more All sizesper tonneLocal and TMT rods, all sizes About ₦800,000 – ₦1,100,000Down 17%since 2025 Down 17%since 2025 Local and TMT rods, all sizes
Unlike cement, iron rods are priced mainly by weight, so the price per tonne is similar across sizes. Per piece, bigger rods cost more because each one contains more steel. Delivery is usually extra, and it can add a lot for sites far from the market.
How Many Iron Rods Are in a Tonne?
The number of rods in a tonne depends on the diameter. Engineers work out the weight of any rod with a simple formula: weight per metre (kg) = diameter² ÷ 162. Multiply by 12 for a standard rod.
| Size | Weight per metre | Weight per 12m rod | Rods per tonne |
| 8mm | 0.395 kg | 4.74 kg | About 211 |
| 10mm | 0.617 kg | 7.41 kg | About 135 |
| 12mm | 0.889 kg | 10.67 kg | About 94 |
| 16mm | 1.580 kg | 18.96 kg | About 53 |
| 20mm | 2.469 kg | 29.63 kg | About 34 |
| 25mm | 3.858 kg | 46.30 kg | About 22 |
| 32mm | 6.321 kg | 75.85 kg | About 13 |
Use this to catch short-weight deliveries. If a dealer delivers noticeably more than about 94 rods for a tonne of 12mm, the rods are probably thinner than 12mm. Weigh a few rods if you can.
How to Work Out Your Iron Rod Cost
- Get the bar bending schedule from your structural engineer. It lists the total length of each size your building needs.
- Divide the total metres for each size by 12 to get the number of rods.
- Add 5–10% for cutting waste and laps.
- Multiply by the per-rod price, or divide the rods by the rods-per-tonne figure to see how many tonnes to order.
Example: a schedule needing 1,500 metres of 12mm rod is 125 rods, or about 135 rods with 8% waste. That is roughly 1.4 tonnes, or about ₦1.15 million to ₦1.58 million at today’s prices.
As a rough guide only, a three-bedroom bungalow often uses 3 to 5 tonnes of rods across all sizes and a four-bedroom duplex 6 to 10 tonnes. At current prices that is about ₦2.4 million to ₦5.5 million for the bungalow and ₦4.8 million to ₦11 million for the duplex. Your engineer’s schedule is the only reliable figure.
TMT vs Local Iron Rods: Which Should You Buy?
| Factor | TMT rods | Local (conventional) rods |
| How they are made | Quenched and tempered: a hard outer layer with a softer, ductile core | Conventionally hot-rolled, often from imported billets or scrap |
| Strength and bending | Higher strength and better bending without cracking | Varies more from mill to mill |
| Price | Usually ₦50,000–₦100,000 more per tonne | Cheaper |
| Best for | Columns, beams, slabs and any multi-storey building | Only where your engineer approves it |
Whichever you choose, the rods must meet the Nigerian Industrial Standard for steel reinforcement (NIS 117) and carry the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) mark: MANCAP for locally made rods and SONCAP for imported rods. Ask the dealer for the certificate.
Which Iron Rod Size Do You Need?
| Part of the building | Common sizes |
| Stirrups and links | 8mm, sometimes 10mm |
| Strip foundation (bungalow) | 12mm |
| Columns | 12mm for bungalows, 16mm for duplexes and above |
| Beams and lintels | 12mm or 16mm main bars |
| Suspended slab (decking) | 10mm or 12mm, at the spacing your engineer sets |
| Multi-storey and commercial | 16mm, 20mm and 25mm |
| Bridges and heavy industrial work | 25mm and 32mm |
These are common choices, not a design. Soil, spans and loads change the answer, and building collapses in Nigeria are often traced to wrong or undersized reinforcement. Use a registered structural engineer.
How to Spot Fake or Undersized Iron Rods
- Measure the diameter. Use a vernier calliper across the core of the rod, not the ribs. A “12mm” rod that measures 10–11mm is undersized.
- Count the rods in a tonne. Too many rods for the weight means they are too thin. Use the table above.
- Check the markings and certificate. Genuine rods carry the maker’s mark and size rolled into the bar, and the dealer should show MANCAP or SONCAP certification.
- Bend a sample. A good rod bends around a former without cracking on the outside of the bend. Cracking means brittle steel.
- Reject heavy rust. A light orange surface coat is normal, but flaking or pitted rust has reduced the steel.
- Get a receipt that states size, type, brand and quantity, so you have recourse if the rods turn out to be substandard.
Why Iron Rod Prices Are High in Nigeria
- The exchange rate. Most rods are made from imported billets or scrap and finished steel is also imported, so costs follow the naira. Rods that cost about ₦335,000–₦400,000 a tonne in 2023 passed ₦1 million in 2025 after the naira’s fall.
- Energy. Rolling mills use a lot of power, so grid tariffs and diesel prices feed straight into the price.
- Transport. Rods are heavy. Trucking them from mills and ports in the south to inland sites adds cost.
- Limited local steelmaking. Ajaokuta Steel is still not producing, so the country relies on private mills and imports.
Iron Rod Price History in Nigeria
| Period | Typical price per tonne |
| 2019 | About ₦205,000 – ₦240,000 |
| 2023 | About ₦335,000 – ₦400,000 |
| 2024–2025 | About ₦1,000,000 – ₦1,300,000 at the peak |
| October 2026 | About ₦800,000 – ₦1,100,000 |
Quotes in 2026 have come down from the peak as the naira steadied, but they remain more than double their 2023 level. A return to 2023 prices is unlikely unless the naira strengthens a great deal.
How to Buy Iron Rods Cheaper
- Buy in bulk from a main dealer or mill distributor. A trailer load of 15–20 tonnes usually earns the best per-tonne price, so builders sometimes share one trailer.
- Get three dated quotes on the same basis: size, TMT or local, brand, price per tonne or per rod, and delivery.
- Buy from established building-materials markets in your city, such as Dei-Dei International Building Materials Market in Abuja, rather than through middlemen.
- Order only what the schedule needs. Over-ordering ties up money in rods that rust on site.
- Keep your offcuts. Pieces of 300mm and longer can be reused for links and starter bars, so make sure your contractor returns them.
- Store rods properly. Keep them off the ground on timber and covered in the rainy season, and use them within weeks of delivery.
Track cement too, since it is the other big structural cost: see our cement price guide.
Who Makes Iron Rods in Nigeria?
Most rods sold in Nigeria come from private rolling mills, many of them in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the South-East, together with imported rods. Well-known local producers include African Foundries Limited and KAM Industries. Many mills roll imported billets, so even “local” rods are exposed to the exchange rate. The state-owned Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State is still not in production.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is iron rod per tonne in Nigeria today?
About ₦800,000 to ₦1.1 million per tonne in October 2026. Local rods bought in bulk are at the lower end, and branded TMT rods bought in small quantities are at the upper end.
How much is a 12mm iron rod in Nigeria?
About ₦8,500 to ₦11,700 for one 12-metre rod. A tonne contains about 94 rods.
How much is a 16mm iron rod in Nigeria?
About ₦15,200 to ₦20,900 per 12-metre rod, with about 53 rods in a tonne.
How many 12mm rods make a tonne?
About 94. Each 12-metre rod weighs about 10.67 kg.
How do I calculate the weight of an iron rod?
Weight per metre in kg equals the diameter in millimetres squared, divided by 162. For a 16mm rod, that is 256 ÷ 162 = 1.58 kg per metre, or 18.96 kg for a 12-metre rod.
Is TMT rod better than local rod?
TMT rods are generally stronger and bend without cracking, which makes them the safer choice for structural work. Local rods can be acceptable if they meet NIS 117 and your engineer approves them.
Why do iron rod prices keep changing?
Mainly because of the exchange rate, energy costs and transport. Prices can change from week to week, so always ask for a dated quote.
Sources
- Standards Organisation of Nigeria: NIS 117 (steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete) and the MANCAP and SONCAP certification schemes.
- Published supplier and market price quotes, 2025–October 2026, including Nairametrics’ steel rod market survey (October 2025).
Last updated: 12 October 2026 · NaijaSabi Finance Desk. Prices are indicative and vary by city, brand and quantity. Get a dated written quote before you buy.
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