Nigeria drew almost $14 billion in combined foreign portfolio and direct investments in the first nine months of 2025, buoyed by renewed investor confidence and sweeping economic and investment reforms, the Federal Government has said.

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment disclosed on Tuesday that the inflows exceeded the total foreign investment recorded in the whole of 2024.

In a document titled “2025: A Defining Year for Nigeria’s Industry, Trade and Investment,” the ministry noted that foreign portfolio investment drove the rebound, climbing to $12.99 billion.

The document stated that foreign direct investment surged 700 per cent quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025, reaching $936 million year-to-date, reflecting “renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s reform trajectory.”

The ministry credited the rise in capital inflows to macroeconomic and structural reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including foreign exchange liberalisation, the removal of fuel subsidies, monetary tightening, and enhanced investor aftercare.

It stated, “As a result, combined foreign portfolio investment and foreign direct investment reached nearly $14bn in Q1–Q3 2025, surpassing total inflows in 2024,” adding that the Nigerian Exchange ranked among the world’s top-performing stock markets during the year.

The ministry also highlighted that Nigeria made strides in turning investment commitments into active projects, with four priority initiatives worth $13.7 billion progressing during the year.

It explained that these projects represented a conversion rate of over 25% from the $50.8 billion in signed Memoranda of Understanding, signaling a shift from passive investment promotion to an execution-focused approach.

“In 2025, Nigeria significantly strengthened its investment facilitation architecture, transitioning from passive promotion to an active, systems-driven model that reduces information asymmetries, improves project visibility, and enhances the bankability of investment pipelines,” the document stated.

The ministry added that structured deal origination helped create a de-risked investment pipeline exceeding $5 billion across priority sectors, supported by curated deal rooms, targeted roadshows, and hands-on investor engagement.

“These engagements have delivered tangible gains, enhancing investor confidence, improving deal flow quality, and positioning Nigeria as a credible, reform-driven destination for long-term capital,” the ministry said.