Nigeria’s Trade and Investment Soars: FG Reports $21bn Capital Inflows in 2025
The Federal Government of Nigeria is stepping up its trade and investment agenda after a remarkable rebound in 2025, with capital inflows hitting $21 billion. The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment (FMITI) revealed that this sharp increase, compared with $12.3 billion in 2024, reflects renewed investor confidence fueled by stronger policy execution and a “Nigeria First” approach.
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, described 2025 as a turning point for Nigeria’s industrial and trade trajectory. She highlighted the ministry’s efforts, including over 150 bilateral and investor engagements, five deal rooms, and sector-specific roundtables. These initiatives helped resolve 50 key investor bottlenecks, accelerating project execution and generating a pipeline of over $5 billion in bankable projects.
Trade performance also surged, with Nigeria recording total trade of N113.03 trillion in the first three quarters of 2025, including exports of N66.16 trillion, an 11% year-on-year growth. Key interventions, such as the gazetting of the AfCFTA tariff schedule, the launch of an air cargo corridor to East and Southern Africa, and support for over 100 MSMEs in export readiness, drove non-oil exports beyond $6 billion. Freight costs were halved for time-sensitive shipments, and export processing timelines were reduced to under 24 hours.
Looking ahead, FMITI’s 2026 strategy rests on four pillars: unlocking global and regional demand, strengthening domestic supply of exports, mobilizing investment through coherent policy, and leveraging data and digital infrastructure. Priority actions include a National MSME Census, a Made-in-Nigeria campaign, industrial cluster development, support for women-led businesses, and deployment of AI tools for industrial governance.
Permanent Secretary Nura Rimi and Minister of State John Enoh emphasized that 2026 will focus on consolidating gains from 2025. By enforcing disciplined policy implementation, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and continuing structural reforms, Nigeria aims to transform the “Nigeria First” sentiment into tangible economic outcomes, strengthening industrial growth, diversifying the economy, and boosting investor confidence.
source: punch