The country’s capital importation rose to $10.37 billion in the first quarter of the year (Q1 2026) compared to the $6.44 billion recorded the preceding quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclosed yesterday.
The 61 per cent increase in the review period was driven largely by a surge in portfolio investments as foreign investors continued to take advantage of improved market conditions and attractive yields in the domestic financial markets.
This comes as global ratings agency, Fitch Ratings has stated that Nigeria’s banking sector is benefiting from the liberalisation of the naira, with stronger foreign-currency inflows, increased foreign exchange market turnover and improved foreign-currency liquidity across the industry.
Fitch in its June 2026 Credit Outlook on Nigerian Banks, also said the withdrawal of long-standing regulatory forbearance measures for banks has exposed their asset quality as impaired loan ratios have risen.
Some restructured Stage 2 loans had also been reclassified as impaired, according to new assessment by the ratings institution.
According to the Nigeria Capital Importation (Q1 2026) report by the statistical agency, total capital inflows increased by 83.8 per cent compared with the $5.64 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
