NGX Sees 107.7% Surge in Foreign Investment to N288.82bn as Investor Confidence Strengthens in March 2026
Foreign investor participation on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) recorded a significant rebound in March 2026, jumping by 107.74% month-on-month to N288.82 billion. The sharp increase signals renewed offshore interest in Nigeria’s equities market, even though domestic investors still dominate overall trading activity.
According to the Domestic & Foreign Portfolio Investment Report published by NGX, total market transactions rose to N1.744 trillion in March, marking a 10% increase from N1.542 trillion recorded in February 2026. The growth reflects stronger overall market activity and improving investor sentiment across both local and foreign segments.
Despite the surge in foreign inflows, domestic investors continue to anchor the market. Domestic transactions increased modestly by 3.72% to N1.456 trillion, accounting for about 83% of total market activity, while foreign investors contributed 17%. Foreign inflows stood at N221.62 billion, while outflows reached N181.77 billion, indicating a relatively balanced but still cautious offshore participation.
On a year-to-date basis, the Nigerian equities market has maintained strong momentum in 2026, with total transactions reaching N4.149 trillion. Domestic investors remain dominant at 86.94%, while foreign investors account for 13.06%. This reflects a structural shift from 2025, when foreign participation was significantly higher at 36.47%, showing how local liquidity has become the backbone of the market.
Market analysts attribute the renewed foreign interest to improving macroeconomic conditions, stronger corporate earnings, and Nigeria’s recent FTSE Russell reclassification to Frontier Market status. Experts believe this development, alongside expected September implementation effects, could further unlock foreign inflows estimated between $840 million and $1.04 billion, strengthening Nigeria’s position in global capital markets.
source: nairametrics