Foreign direct investment into Nigeria plunged by 80 per cent in January 2026 as foreign investors increasingly channelled funds into bonds and money market instruments, despite a sharp rise in overall capital inflows, the latest Economic Report of the Central Bank of Nigeria has shown.
The report revealed that FDI fell to $30m in January from $150m in December 2025, while foreign portfolio investment surged to $3.37bn from $940m over the same period, showing investors’ preference for debt assets over long-term productive investments.
According to the CBN, “Direct investment fell by 80.0 per cent to $0.03 billion in the review period.”
The apex bank, however, noted that total capital inflow into the economy rose significantly during the month.
“The economy recorded a higher inflow of capital during the review period, driven mainly by the significant increase in portfolio investment inflow,” the report stated.
Overall capital importation climbed to $3.52bn in January 2026, compared with $1.25bn recorded in December 2025, largely on the back of increased foreign participation in the domestic fixed-income market.
