Credit to Nigeria’s private sector grew by about N2.84 trillion between April and July 2026, reaching N83.43 trillion in July from N80.59 trillion in April.
Latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shows that the increase represents a 3.52 per cent rise over the three-month period, pointing to a gradual expansion in lending to businesses and other private-sector borrowers.
Private sector credit increased by N6.70 trillion, or 8.74 per cent year-on-year, from N76.72 trillion recorded in July 2025.
The data further showed that private sector credit rose from N80.59 trillion in April to N81.04 trillion in May and N83.26 trillion in June before reaching N83.43 trillion in July and that the strongest monthly increase within the period occurred between May and June, when credit expanded by about N2.22 trillion, before moderating significantly in July, with lending increasing by approximately N171.80 billion, or 0.21 per cent, from June.
The CBN data, however, did not provide a figure for March 2026, making April the earliest available data point for assessing the three-month increase.
It also did not provide the sector-by-sector distribution of private sector credit for the months covered in the latest database.
Meanwhile, the increase in private sector credit came alongside a decline in net domestic credit.
Net domestic credit fell to N117.35 trillion in July from N123.29 trillion in June, representing a decline of about N5.94 trillion, or 4.82%.
Credit to government also declined during the month, falling from N40.03 trillion in June to N33.92 trillion in July.
