Nigeria sees sharp rise in foreign direct investment inflows
Foreign direct investment into Nigeria surged significantly, marking a notable rebound after a period of weak inflows. According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the country attracted a substantial increase in investment, reflecting renewed interest from foreign investors. The improvement coincided with stronger external-sector indicators and higher oil-sector earnings. Despite ongoing challenges, the latest figures suggest a shift in investor sentiment.
TLDR
- Foreign direct investment into Nigeria jumped to $720m in the third quarter of 2025, up from $90m in the previous quarter.
- This represents a 700 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase and a 26.3 per cent rise compared to the third quarter of 2024.
- Nigeria posted an overall balance of payments surplus of $4.60bn, with external reserves rising to $42.77bn as of the end of September 2025 from $37.81bn at the end of June 2025.
- Portfolio investment inflows fell to $2.51bn in the third quarter compared with $5.28bn in the second quarter.
- Crude oil export receipts rose to $8.45bn, while refined-product exports increased to $2.29bn, supporting foreign exchange liquidity.
