The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has overtaken Lagos as Nigeria’s top destination for foreign investment, attracting $3.04 billion in Q1 2025, compared to Lagos’ $2.54 billion. This marks the first time Lagos has lost its leading position.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria recorded a total of $5.64 billion in capital importation during the quarter a 67.12% increase from Q1 2024 and a 10.86% rise from Q4 2024.
Key highlights:
•Top investment types:
•Portfolio Investment: $5.20bn (92.25%)
•Other Investments: $311.17m (5.52%)
•Foreign Direct Investment: $126.29m (2.24%)
•Top sectors:
•Banking: $3.12bn (55.44%)
•Financing: $2.09bn (37.18%)
•Manufacturing: $129.92m (2.30%)
•Top source countries:
•United Kingdom: $3.68bn (65.26%)
•South Africa: $501.29m
•Mauritius: $394.51m
•Top states for investment:
•FCT: $3.04bn
•Lagos: $2.56bn
•Others: Ogun, Oyo, and Kaduna with under $8m each
•Top banks:
•Standard Chartered: $2.10bn
•Stanbic IBTC: $1.39bn
•Citibank Nigeria: $1.05bn
The data highlights a shift in investor preference toward the FCT and a continued dominance of portfolio investments in Nigeria’s capital inflow.
