Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows was 1,352 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Nicaragua, 1990–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Nicaragua recorded 1,352 for foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 21.4% on the previous year and up 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Nicaragua peaked at 1,352 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.67, in 1990.
That places Nicaragua 96th out of 222 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.67 | — |
| 1991 | 42 | +6168.7% |
| 1992 | 42 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 40 | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 40 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 75.4 | +88.5% |
| 1996 | 97 | +28.6% |
| 1997 | 172.1 | +77.4% |
| 1998 | 194.7 | +13.1% |
| 1999 | 300 | +54.1% |
| 2000 | 266.5 | -11.2% |
| 2001 | 150.2 | -43.6% |
| 2002 | 203.9 | +35.8% |
| 2003 | 201.3 | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 250 | +24.2% |
| 2005 | 241.1 | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 286.8 | +19.0% |
| 2007 | 381.7 | +33.1% |
| 2008 | 627.3 | +64.3% |
| 2009 | 433.9 | -30.8% |
| 2010 | 489.9 | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 936.3 | +91.1% |
| 2012 | 775.7 | -17.2% |
| 2013 | 965.1 | +24.4% |
| 2014 | 1,077 | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 967 | -10.2% |
| 2016 | 989.1 | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 1,035 | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 837.6 | -19.1% |
| 2019 | 503 | -39.9% |
| 2020 | 746.5 | +48.4% |
| 2021 | 1,047 | +40.3% |
| 2022 | 1,287 | +22.9% |
| 2023 | 1,114 | -13.5% |
| 2024 | 1,352 | +21.4% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 1,352 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 936.46, 1.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 1,352 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 592.29, 2.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Nicaragua changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +6168.7% | 0.67 | 42 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 100.39 | 0.67 | 300 | 10 |
| 2000s | 304.27 | 150.2 | 627.3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 857.59 | 489.9 | 1,077 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,109 | 746.5 | 1,352 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 93 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 1,449 compare
- 94 Algeria 1,439 compare
- 95 North Macedonia 1,358 compare
- 97 Georgia 1,334 compare
- 98 Slovenia 1,296 compare
- 99 Bangladesh 1,270 compare
More economy & growth data for Nicaragua
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 73.80 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0037 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 10.67 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.35 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 21.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0687 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 195.53 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 36.36 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Nicaragua?
- Foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Nicaragua was 1,352 in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 1,352 in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.67 in 1990.
- How does Nicaragua rank for foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows?
- Nicaragua ranks 96th out of 222 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States dollars). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).