The Federal government has attributed the rise in foreign portfolio investment and foreign direct investment in the first nine months of 2025 to $14 billion, to renewed investor confidence and wide-ranging economic and investment reforms.
The inflow, the government noted, surpasses the total inflows recorded in 2024.
In a document titled ‘2025: A Defining Year for Nigeria’s Industry, Trade and Investment,’ released by the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, foreign portfolio investment led the recovery, rising to $12.99 billion, while foreign direct investment showed promising, robust growth from a historically low base.
“As a result, combined foreign portfolio investment and foreign direct investment reached nearly $14bn in Q1–Q3 2025, surpassing total inflows in 2024,” the document noted.
The ministry disclosed that FDI expanded by 700 per cent quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025 and reached $936 million year-to-date, signalling renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s reform trajectory.
It attributed the surge in capital inflows to macroeconomic and structural reforms implemented under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, including foreign exchange liberalisation, the removal of fuel subsidies, monetary tightening, and stronger investor aftercare.
It added that the Nigerian Exchange also ranked among the world’s top-performing stock markets during the year.
The ministry also noted that Nigeria recorded progress in converting investment commitments into live projects, with four priority projects valued at $13.7 billion advancing during the year.
It explained that the projects represented a conversion rate of over 25 per cent from the $50.8 billion worth of signed Memoranda of Understanding, reflecting a shift from passive investment promotion to an execution-driven model.
The ministry added that structured deal origination helped to build a de-risked investment pipeline exceeding $5 billion across priority sectors, supported by curated deal rooms, targeted roadshows, and hands-on investor support.
It further noted that investor confidence received a further boost in June 2025 when President Tinubu hosted several West African leaders at the West Africa Economic Summit, where a deal room generated over $400m in origin and showcased vetted investment deals.
According to the report, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, also led high-level bilateral engagements and trade missions to key economies, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, and Brazil, deepening investment pipelines and reshaping investor perceptions of Nigeria.
“These engagements have delivered tangible gains, enhancing investor confidence, improving deal flow quality, and positioning Nigeria as a credible, reform-driven destination for long-term capital,” the ministry said.
Alongside foreign investment, the ministry highlighted efforts to retain and expand domestic capital, describing Nigerian investors as “the first and most enduring vote of confidence in the economy.”
On trade and exports, the ministry reported strong performance driven by non-oil exports, which grew by 21 per cent to $12.8 billion in the first half of 2025, almost double the $6.5 billion target.
The growth contributed to a N12 trillion trade surplus in the period, while overall trade value expanded by 14 per cent, supported by improved trade facilitation, logistics reforms, and increased value addition.
The ministry said its collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council helped to train over 27,000 exporters, certify 200 micro, small, and medium enterprises for international trade, and support more than 3,000 farmers through improved seedlings.
It added that Special Economic Zones generated over $500 million in export revenues and created more than 20,000 direct jobs, reinforcing their role in industrialisation and employment generation.
