Despite a steady increase in foreign direct investment inflows into the country in the last three years, a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown that the FDIs still ranked the lowest when compared with other types of capital inflows recorded by the country.

Findings by New Telegraph showed that within the period under review, portfolio investment, for instance, accounted for 85.03 per cent of total capital importation in 2025 while FDI inflows ($923.01 million) accounted for just 3.97 per cent of that figure.

This is just as the country recorded total capital importation of $23.22 billion in 2025, up sharply from $12.32 billion in 2024, Also, according to the Capital Importation report for Q4’25 released by the NBS, last week, FDI inflows accounted for only 5.55 per cent of the $6.44 billion total capital importation recorded by the country in the last quarter of last year in contrast to portfolio investment which accounted for 85.14 percent of total capital importation.

Further findings revealed that total FDI inflows into the country within the period amounted to $1.98 billion. An analysis of Nigeria Capital Importation reports for the three-year period indicates that total FDI inflows into the country rose from $377.37 million in 2023 to $674.71 million and $923.01 million in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

The report said: “In Q4 2025, total capital importation into Nigeria stood at $6,443.48 million, higher than $5,089.16 million recorded in Q4 2024, indicating an increase of 26.61 per cent on a year on year basis. In comparison to the preceding quarter, capital importation increased by 7.13 per cent from $6,014.77 million in Q3 2025.

“Portfolio Investment ranked highest with $5,486.03 million, accounting for 85.14 per cent of total capital importation during the period, followed by Other Investment with $599.65 million (9.31%) and Foreign Direct Investment with $357.80 million (5.55%).

“In terms of distribution by sector, the Banking sector recorded the highest inflow with $3,850.14 million, representing 59.75 per cent of total capital imported in Q4 2025, followed by the Financing sector, valued at $1,942.44 million (30.15%), and the Production/Manufacturing sector with $308.93 million (4.79%).”