Nigeria’s FDI inflow crossed $4bn for the first time since 2014

Key Takeaways

  • Nigeria’s FDI inflows rose to $4.01 billion in 2025, the highest level since 2014.
  • The 2025 figure represents a 148% increase from the revised $1.61 billion recorded in 2024.
  • Despite the rebound, Nigeria remains far below its 2011 peak of $8.91 billion.
  • Nigeria’s strongest FDI period was 2005 to 2014, when inflows stayed above $4 billion every year.

Nigeria’s FDI inflow returned above $4 billion in 2025 for the first time since 2014.

According to UNCTAD’s latest dataset, Nigeria attracted $4.01 billion in FDI inflows in 2025, up from a revised $1.61 billion in 2024. This represents a 148% increase year-on-year.

The recovery is notable, but Nigeria is still below the levels recorded during its earlier FDI boom years. Inflows peaked at $8.91 billion in 2011, and remained above $4 billion every year from 2005 to 2014 before falling sharply in the following decade.

Source:

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Period:

2025
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Nigeria’s FDI inflows rose to 4th in Africa after a 148% increase, while Egypt remained the continent’s top destination
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Europe, Asia, and the Americas have attracted a combined 94% of global foreign investment since 1990, leaving Africa and Oceania with just 6%
  • Europe ($12.58 trillion), Asia ($11.88 trillion), and the Americas ($11.49 trillion) are nearly tied after 35 years, each capturing roughly a third of global FDI
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Nigeria recorded an impressive 822% growth in FDI inflows between 1999 and 2009, before gradually dropping back to $1.1B in 2024
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