The total value of capital importation into Nigeria in the first quarter of the year stood at $10.37 billion, higher than the $5.64 billion recorded in Q1 2025, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Wednesday.
It represents an increase of 83.83 per cent, according to the NBS report titled ‘Nigerian Capital Importation Q1 2026’.
Capital importation refers to foreign investments in a country’s economy and comprises Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Portfolio Investment, and other investments.
Compared with the preceding quarter, the NBS said capital importation increased by 60.97 per cent from $6.44 billion in Q4 2025.
The statistics office said portfolio investment ranked top with $9.86 billion, accounting for 95.09 per cent, followed by other investments with $374.48 million, accounting for 3.61 per cent.
According to the bureau, foreign direct investment recorded the least with $135.08 million, representing 1.30 per cent of total capital importation in Q1 2026.
Sectoral analysis showed that the banking sector recorded the highest inflow with $7.55 billion, representing 72.79 per cent of total capital imported in Q1 2026.
It said the financing sector, valued at $2.43 billion (23.42 per cent), and the production/manufacturing sector with $152.27 million (1.47 per cent).
The NBS said the capital importation during the reference period originated largely from the United Kingdom with $5.08 billion, representing 49.01 per cent of the total capital imported.
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This, it said, was followed by the United States with $3.18 billion (30.69 per cent) and the Republic of South Africa with $983.83 million (9.49 per cent).
The bureau said Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited received the highest capital importation into Nigeria in Q1 2026 with $4.41 billion (42.56 per cent), followed by Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc with $2.78 billion (26.79 per cent), and Rand Merchant Bank with $930.82 million (8.97 per cent).
The NBS stated that the capital importation statistics were compiled using information supplied by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and reports submitted by commercial banks on fresh foreign capital brought into the country.
The bureau added that the figures do not include other components of foreign direct investment, such as reinvested earnings.
