Nigeria’s portfolio investment rose by 45% to $6.51 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up from $4.49 billion in the previous quarter, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The CBN’s Q2 2026 statistical bulletin showed that portfolio investment increased by approximately $2.03 billion between March and June, reflecting a rise in foreign investment recorded across the category.
The latest figure extends the increase recorded in the first quarter, when Nigeria’s financial account registered portfolio investment inflows of $6.03 billion, according to an earlier Nairametrics report.
Portfolio investment rises in Q2
The CBN data put portfolio investment at $6.51 billion in the second quarter of 2026, compared with $5.81 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and $5.55 billion in the first quarter of 2026.
The latest increase was driven largely by debt securities, which rose to $4.97 billion from $4.28 billion in the preceding quarter. Equity and investment fund shares also increased, reaching $1.54 billion in June from $1.53 billion in March.
Total portfolio investment increased from $4.49 billion in Q1 2026 to $6.51 billion in Q2.
Debt securities rose from $4.28 billion to $4.97 billion over the same period.
Equity and investment fund shares increased from $1.53 billion to $1.54 billion.
Compared with Q2 2025, when portfolio investment stood at $5.15 billion, the latest figure was approximately 26.5% higher.
The figures show that debt securities accounted for most of the quarterly increase, while equity investment recorded a smaller gain.
Nigeria seeks to attract more capital
The increase in portfolio investment comes as the Federal Government pursues initiatives to attract domestic and foreign capital into the economy.
Nigeria recently unveiled 65 investment projects requiring a combined $78.5 billion in capital. The government said the initiative is aimed at attracting investors, creating jobs and accelerating economic growth.
In June 2026, the Federal Government also announced plans for a Nigeria Deal Room to help convert investment opportunities into bankable transactions and address regulatory bottlenecks that can delay projects.
The government’s investment drive covers efforts to encourage private capital participation in the economy.
The initiatives form part of broader efforts to improve investment mobilisation and support economic expansion.
Portfolio investment differs from direct investment because it generally involves financial assets such as shares and debt securities rather than acquiring a lasting management interest in a business. As a result, changes in portfolio investment can reflect movements in financial-market positions and investor demand for securities.
World Bank supports private financing
Development finance institutions are also working to mobilise private capital for Nigeria. Earlier this month, Nairametrics reported that the World Bank Group was helping mobilise up to $5.79 billion in private financing for Nigeria in fiscal year 2026.
The programmes are expected to support about 850,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the earlier report.
The financing effort adds to the government’s attempts to draw investment into projects that can support business activity and employment. However, portfolio investment figures and commitments for project financing measure different types of capital and should not be treated as equivalent.