North Carolina Highway 72 (NC 72) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina that serves the communities of Red Springs and Lumberton.

From there, the two highways travel on a concurrency south (signed east) for 1.8 miles (2.9 km) and split, with NC 72 heading towards Lumberton.

The final leg of the route sees it intersect with NC 211 (also where the NC 41 concurrency ends) then heads south (signed east) to its terminal junction with US 74 (Future I-74) near Orrum and Boardman.

[1] NC 72 was created in 1934 running from Red Springs to US 74 near Lumberton.

[3] In 1983, NC 72 was extended along Fifth Street through Lumberton, then south on Roberts Avenue/Wilmington Highway to its current eastern terminus with US 74.