Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nicaragua, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nicaragua stood at 1.50 billion BoP, current US$. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 11.1% on the previous year and up 55.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nicaragua peaked at 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, -90,000 BoP, current US$, in 1988.
That places Nicaragua 84th out of 204 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 13.30 million BoP, current US$ | -11.3% |
| 1972 | 10.00 million BoP, current US$ | -24.8% |
| 1973 | 13.20 million BoP, current US$ | +32.0% |
| 1974 | 13.80 million BoP, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 10.90 million BoP, current US$ | -21.0% |
| 1976 | 12.90 million BoP, current US$ | +18.3% |
| 1977 | 10.00 million BoP, current US$ | -22.5% |
| 1978 | 7.00 million BoP, current US$ | -30.0% |
| 1979 | 2.80 million BoP, current US$ | -60.0% |
| 1980 | 12.53 million BoP, current US$ | +347.6% |
| 1981 | -30,000 BoP, current US$ | -100.2% |
| 1982 | 9.97 million BoP, current US$ | -33322.2% |
| 1983 | 100,000 BoP, current US$ | -99.0% |
| 1984 | 7.44 million BoP, current US$ | +7344.4% |
| 1985 | -10,000 BoP, current US$ | -100.1% |
| 1986 | 60,000 BoP, current US$ | -700.0% |
| 1987 | 2.41 million BoP, current US$ | +3916.7% |
| 1988 | -90,000 BoP, current US$ | -103.7% |
| 1989 | 2.80 million BoP, current US$ | -3211.1% |
| 1990 | 670,000 BoP, current US$ | -76.1% |
| 1991 | 42.00 million BoP, current US$ | +6168.7% |
| 1992 | 15.00 million BoP, current US$ | -64.3% |
| 1993 | 38.80 million BoP, current US$ | +158.7% |
| 1994 | 46.70 million BoP, current US$ | +20.4% |
| 1995 | 88.90 million BoP, current US$ | +90.4% |
| 1996 | 120.00 million BoP, current US$ | +35.0% |
| 1997 | 203.40 million BoP, current US$ | +69.5% |
| 1998 | 218.20 million BoP, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 1999 | 337.30 million BoP, current US$ | +54.6% |
| 2000 | 266.50 million BoP, current US$ | -21.0% |
| 2001 | 150.20 million BoP, current US$ | -43.6% |
| 2002 | 203.90 million BoP, current US$ | +35.8% |
| 2003 | 201.30 million BoP, current US$ | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 250.00 million BoP, current US$ | +24.2% |
| 2005 | 241.10 million BoP, current US$ | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 286.80 million BoP, current US$ | +19.0% |
| 2007 | 381.70 million BoP, current US$ | +33.1% |
| 2008 | 627.30 million BoP, current US$ | +64.3% |
| 2009 | 433.90 million BoP, current US$ | -30.8% |
| 2010 | 489.90 million BoP, current US$ | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 936.30 million BoP, current US$ | +91.1% |
| 2012 | 775.70 million BoP, current US$ | -17.2% |
| 2013 | 965.10 million BoP, current US$ | +24.4% |
| 2014 | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 967.00 million BoP, current US$ | -10.2% |
| 2016 | 989.10 million BoP, current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 837.60 million BoP, current US$ | -19.1% |
| 2019 | 503.00 million BoP, current US$ | -39.9% |
| 2020 | 746.50 million BoP, current US$ | +48.4% |
| 2021 | 1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | +40.3% |
| 2022 | 1.29 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.9% |
| 2023 | 1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 2024 | 1.35 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.4% |
| 2025 | 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.1% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 642.40 million BoP, current US$, 2.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 938.47 million BoP, current US$, 1.6× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +33322.2% | -30,000 BoP, current US$ | 9.97 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1984 | +7344.4% | 100,000 BoP, current US$ | 7.44 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1991 | +6168.7% | 670,000 BoP, current US$ | 42.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1987 | +3916.7% | 60,000 BoP, current US$ | 2.41 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1989 | +3211.1% | -90,000 BoP, current US$ | 2.80 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1986 | +700.0% | -10,000 BoP, current US$ | 60,000 BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.89 million BoP, current US$ | 2.80 million BoP, current US$ | 15.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.52 million BoP, current US$ | -90,000 BoP, current US$ | 12.53 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 111.10 million BoP, current US$ | 670,000 BoP, current US$ | 337.30 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 304.27 million BoP, current US$ | 150.20 million BoP, current US$ | 627.30 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 857.59 million BoP, current US$ | 489.90 million BoP, current US$ | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.17 billion BoP, current US$ | 746.50 million BoP, current US$ | 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0168 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 53.46 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.8097 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0123 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 39.04 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -11.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.014 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nicaragua?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nicaragua was 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was -90,000 BoP, current US$ in 1988.
- How does Nicaragua rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Nicaragua ranks 84th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.