Nigeria's Capital Importation Hits $16.7 Billion in 2025

According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria attracted a total capital importation of $16.7 billion within the first nine months of 2025, marking one of the strongest performances in recent times. The capital inflow comprised $5.64 billion in Q1, $5.12 billion in Q2, and $6.01 billion in Q3, exceeding the total of $12.32 billion recorded for the entire year of 2024.

Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) accounted for 97% of the total capital raised during this period, with portfolio flows alone reaching $4.85 billion in Q3, representing 80% of the capital import. The financial services sector, particularly banking, attracted $3.1 billion, making up half of the total inflow across the three quarters.

Despite the surge in capital importation, concerns regarding data transparency and the sustainability of these inflows have been raised, particularly due to the lack of quarterly breakdowns and the potential for rapid reversals similar to past trends.