By Progress Godfrey, Abuja
Foreign investments into Nigeria surged in the first nine months of 2025, with combined Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reaching nearly $14 billion, surpassing total inflows recorded for the entire 2024 and signalling a strong rebound in capital inflows.
The recovery was largely driven by FPI, which rose to $12.99 billion, reflecting improved market sentiment. FDI also recorded a strong turnaround, expanding by 700 percent quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025 to reach $936 million year-to-date.
According to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), these gains were underpinned by macroeconomic and structural reforms, including foreign exchange liberalisation, fuel subsidy removal, monetary tightening, modernised investment policies, and enhanced investor aftercare.
The ministry noted that in 2025, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) ranked 5th among the world’s top-performing stock exchanges and 4th in Africa, contributing to the surge in foreign capital inflows.
The ministry’s 2025 review highlighted the role of Nigeria’s leadership in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in boosting trade and investment. Nigeria hosted the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat alongside 30 Nigerian digital operators to advance collaboration on digital trade and services exports.
“Nigeria was subsequently appointed Co-Champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade, alongside Kenya and South Africa. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, received commendation from the African Union Assembly for advancing digital trade across Africa,” the ministry stated.
To enhance trade coordination, FMITI inaugurated the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee, uniting more than 20 institutions from both the public and private sectors. The ministry also published its Provisional Tariff Schedule, allowing duty-free trade on 90 percent of goods across Africa, making Nigeria the first AfCFTA state to release a five-year implementation review.
Efforts to boost export competitiveness included mapping over 200 digital service firms across 17 sectors, launching a new Exports Air Cargo Corridor to East and Southern Africa in collaboration with Uganda Airlines and the UNDP, which cut logistics costs by 50–75 percent, and hosting the AfCFTA Digital Trade Market Access Roundtable in Lagos with regulators from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa.
The ministry also published a Market Intelligence Tool covering cosmetics, agro-processed products, and textiles across 13 African markets, expanding access for Nigerian manufactured and agricultural exports while improving SME competitiveness.
FMITI said 2025 marked a turning point in restoring investor confidence and strengthening Nigeria’s export competitiveness, laying a solid foundation for inclusive growth and attracting high-value global partnerships.
Looking ahead to 2026, the ministry said it would focus on “transformation pathways” with measurable impact, rolling out specialised investor playbooks for four high-growth sectors: solid minerals, digital trade, the creative economy, and climate-smart green industrialisation.
To support this agenda, the government will enhance investor facilitation through the NIPC’s one-stop shop and new digital portals, ensuring efficient project delivery and long-term retention of foreign capital.
The post Nigeria attracts $14bn in foreign investments in first nine months of 2025 – FMITI appeared first on Vanguard News.
