Nigeria attracted about 65 per cent of its recent foreign capital inflows fromUnited Kingdom investors over the past year, with investments including $7.5m
into Babban Gona and $40.5m into Johnvent Industries, the Federal Government has
said.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, in the document titled
‘2025: A Defining Year for Nigeria’s Industry, Trade and Investment’, stated
that investors from the United Kingdom contributed significantly to the rising
investment inflows in the country.
The document reviewed reforms and outcomes under the Renewed Hope Agenda of
President Bola Tinubu. According to the ministry, the strong UK inflows followed
the activation of the UK–Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership and
broader reforms aimed at restoring investor confidence and improving market
access.
“UK investors now account for approximately 65 per cent of recent inflows,
including $7.5m into Babban Gona and $40.5m into Johnvent Industries,” the trade
ministry, led by Jumoke Oduwole, stated. It described the investment growth as
evidence of renewed confidence in Nigeria’s reform trajectory.
The ministry noted that 2025 marked a defining phase in Nigeria’s economic
repositioning, as coordinated reforms across investment attraction, trade
expansion, and institutional strengthening translated policy intent into
measurable outcomes.
It noted that Nigeria recorded a decisive turnaround in investment attraction
under President Tinubu, with the government responding strategically to global
economic headwinds and “clearly signalling that Nigeria is open for business.”
It added that Nigeria significantly strengthened its investment facilitation
architecture during the year, shifting from passive promotion to an active,
systems-driven model that reduced information gaps, improved project visibility
and enhanced the bankability of investment pipelines.
As a result, the ministry said four priority projects valued at $13.7bn
progressed, representing a conversion rate of over 25 per cent from the $50.8bn
worth of signed Memoranda of Understanding.
“Through structured deal origination, FMITI has proactively built a de-risked
pipeline exceeding $5bn across priority sectors,” the ministry stated, adding
that the approach supported investors “from first engagement to firm
commitment.”
The ministry linked the growing UK inflows to sustained bilateral engagements
and trade modernisation efforts, noting that Nigeria deepened investment
pipelines through high-level missions to the UK and other key economies.
It said these engagements reshaped investor perceptions and strengthened
Nigeria’s relevance within global investment circles, delivering “tangible
gains” in deal quality and investor confidence.
Beyond foreign capital, the ministry highlighted progress in export-led growth,
reporting that non-oil exports grew by 21 per cent to $12.8bn in the first half
of 2025, nearly double the $6.5bn target.
The growth contributed to a N12tn trade surplus in the period, while overall
trade value expanded by 14 per cent, driven by targeted trade reforms, improved
export processes and increased value addition.
Nigeria’s leading non-oil exports included cocoa and cocoa derivatives, sesame
seeds, cashew nuts, shea butter, ginger, hibiscus flower, rubber, palm oil
derivatives, fertilisers, cement and liquefied natural gas.
The ministry noted that it worked with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to
train 27,352 exporters, certify 200 micro, small and medium enterprises for
international trade and support 3,047 farmers through the distribution of hybrid
seedlings.
The ministry also reported that Special Economic Zones generated over $500m in
export revenues and created more than 20,000 direct jobs through the Nigerian
Export Processing Zones Authority and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority.
On macroeconomic performance, the ministry said bold reforms, including foreign
exchange liberalisation, fuel subsidy removal and monetary tightening, helped
restore investor confidence.
It noted that the Nigerian Exchange ranked fifth among the world’s
top-performing stock exchanges in 2025 and fourth in Africa, as combined foreign
portfolio investment and foreign direct investment reached nearly $14bn between
the first quarter and third quarter, surpassing total inflows in 2024.
Foreign portfolio investment led the recovery, rising to $12.99bn, while foreign
direct investment increased by 700 per cent quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025 to
reach $936m year-to-date.
On domestic capital, the ministry said the Federal Government rolled out an
investment retention and expansion strategy anchored on Nigerian investors, whom
it described as “the first and most enduring vote of confidence in the economy.”
It cited the hosting of Nigeria’s first Domestic Investors Summit, where 75 per
cent of investor issues were resolved on the spot and all were closed within
five working days, as a shift from ad-hoc engagement to an execution-driven
model.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Oduwole, also led company visits
across manufacturing, agro-processing, electric vehicles and industrial clusters
to resolve bottlenecks and support reinvestment.
The ministry further said Nigeria advanced its leadership under the African
Continental Free Trade Area, securing appointment as Co-Champion of the AfCFTA
Protocol on Digital Trade alongside Kenya and South Africa.
Looking ahead, the ministry said it would build on the momentum in 2026 by
focusing on execution and verifiable impact, with investor playbooks in priority
sectors such as solid minerals, digital trade, the creative economy and
climate-smart industrialisation.
“Collectively, these results affirm that 2025 marked a decisive inflexion point
for Nigeria, restoring investor confidence, strengthening competitiveness,
expanding exports, and laying the foundation for sustained and inclusive
growth,” the ministry stated.