Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Nigeria
Nigeria: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Nigeria, 1977–2025
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 0.4% for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
That represents a change of up 152.3% on the previous year and up 40.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Nigeria peaked at 1.8% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2004.
Nigeria ranks 87th of 191 countries on this measure, 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 outflows in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -32.5% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -29.5% |
| 1982 | -0.0% | -478.2% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -104.7% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | +130.3% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | +22.6% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | +949.9% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -157.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0% | -168.1% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | +17684.9% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | -57.7% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | -9.9% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -27.7% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | +88.0% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -56.5% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -66.7% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +136.3% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -84.1% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | +41.8% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +301.9% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -16.4% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -47.7% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +41.9% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -11.8% |
| 2004 | -0.2% | -220.2% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | -104.3% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +1508.9% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | +132.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | +67.0% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -52.0% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -20.7% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | +67.4% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -28.4% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | +19.1% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -71.5% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +62.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -68.2% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | +476.5% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | +21.2% |
| 2022 | -0.0% | -103.5% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | -606.4% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | +208.1% |
| 2025 | 0.4% | +152.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | -0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 0.4% | 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)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 348.91 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 427,154 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.4555 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 557.59 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU) 2.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU), per 209.92 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Nigeria?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Nigeria was 0.4% 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 outflows recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 1.8% in 1989.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2004.
- How does Nigeria rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Nigeria ranks 87th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria 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 outflows (% of GDP). 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 an 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. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world, and is divided by GDP.