Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nigeria, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nigeria is 1.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 115.3% on the previous year and up 121.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nigeria peaked at 4.3% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -1.2%, in 1980.
That places Nigeria 127th out of 201 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 (% of GDP) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.6% | — |
| 1971 | 3.1% | +90.6% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | -20.2% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 1.0% | -58.0% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | +63.6% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -44.8% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | +30.9% |
| 1978 | 0.6% | -52.8% |
| 1979 | 0.7% | +13.4% |
| 1980 | -1.2% | -275.7% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -128.7% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -8.5% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +24.4% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -31.4% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +155.8% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -46.5% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | +228.8% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | -34.2% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | +461.4% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | -74.6% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | +10.0% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | +43.9% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | +37.7% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -90.2% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +12.8% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -13.0% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -41.3% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | +1138.8% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +21.8% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -27.9% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | +105.5% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -28.2% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 2.4% | +11.3% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | +20.2% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | -43.4% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | +29.9% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -28.6% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -29.8% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | -23.6% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -24.0% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | +37.3% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -24.7% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | -71.4% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +87.7% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | +15.5% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | +36.5% |
| 2022 | -0.0% | -105.3% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | -1430.6% |
| 2024 | 0.6% | +66.5% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +115.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.9%, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.0%, 70% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Nigeria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +1430.6% | -0.0% | 0.4% |
| 1999 | +1138.8% | 0.1% | 1.7% |
| 1989 | +461.4% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.6% | 0.6% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | -1.2% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.4% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.2% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | -0.0% | 1.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More economy & growth data for Nigeria
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.32 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0148 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 18.13 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.9704 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0108 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 13.24 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -17.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0107 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nigeria?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Nigeria was 1.4% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 1989.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.2% in 1980.
- How does Nigeria rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Nigeria ranks 127th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 121.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.