Nigeria's Public Debt Hits 159.28 Trillion Naira

As of December 31, 2025, Nigeria's total public debt has risen to 159.28 trillion Naira, which translates to an average debt burden of 724,000 Naira per citizen, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO). This increase reflects a steady rise in the country's debt profile, primarily driven by domestic borrowing.

The debt stock rose from 153.29 trillion Naira in September 2025 to 159.28 trillion Naira by the end of December 2025, marking a quarter-on-quarter increase of 5.98 trillion Naira (3.9 percent). In dollar terms, the debt rose from 103.94 billion to 110.97 billion within the same period.

Public debt increased by 14.61 trillion Naira (10.1 percent) from 144.67 trillion Naira recorded in December 2024. The breakdown indicates that domestic debt constitutes 53.27 percent of the total public debt, with the federal government holding the majority at 80.49 trillion Naira.

The external debt stood at 74.43 trillion Naira, representing 46.73 percent of the total debt. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) projects a debt-to-GDP ratio of 34 percent by 2026.