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Data  · Economy

Remittances to Nigeria exceeded foreign direct investment in every year from 2015 to 2025

Personal remittances received by Nigeria and net inflows of foreign direct investment, in US dollars, 2015 to 2025, from the World Bank's World Development Indicators.

The Public Interest ·

Nigeria received $22.79 billion in personal remittances in 2025, up from $22.13 billion in 2024. Net inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) were $4.01 billion in 2025, up from $1.61 billion in 2024 and the highest annual figure of the period. Remittances were 5.7 times FDI in 2025.

Personal remittances received and net inflows of foreign direct investment, NigeriaUS$ billion, by year, 2015 to 2025
Personal remittancesForeign direct investment01020302015, Personal remittances: 20.62016, Personal remittances: 19.72017, Personal remittances: 22.02018, Personal remittances: 24.32019, Personal remittances: 23.82020, Personal remittances: 17.22021, Personal remittances: 19.52022, Personal remittances: 20.12023, Personal remittances: 19.62024, Personal remittances: 22.12025, Personal remittances: 22.82015, Foreign direct investment: 3.12016, Foreign direct investment: 3.52017, Foreign direct investment: 2.42018, Foreign direct investment: 0.82019, Foreign direct investment: 2.32020, Foreign direct investment: 2.42021, Foreign direct investment: 3.32022, Foreign direct investment: -0.22023, Foreign direct investment: 1.92024, Foreign direct investment: 1.62025, Foreign direct investment: 4.022.84.020152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 Personal remittancesForeign direct investment01020302015, Personal remittances: 20.62016, Personal remittances: 19.72017, Personal remittances: 22.02018, Personal remittances: 24.32019, Personal remittances: 23.82020, Personal remittances: 17.22021, Personal remittances: 19.52022, Personal remittances: 20.12023, Personal remittances: 19.62024, Personal remittances: 22.12025, Personal remittances: 22.82015, Foreign direct investment: 3.12016, Foreign direct investment: 3.52017, Foreign direct investment: 2.42018, Foreign direct investment: 0.82019, Foreign direct investment: 2.32020, Foreign direct investment: 2.42021, Foreign direct investment: 3.32022, Foreign direct investment: -0.22023, Foreign direct investment: 1.92024, Foreign direct investment: 1.62025, Foreign direct investment: 4.022.84.0201520172019202120232025

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicators BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT and BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD (from International Monetary Fund balance of payments data), accessed 2 November 2026. Personal remittances are personal transfers plus compensation of employees. Foreign direct investment is net inflows from foreign investors on a balance of payments basis, the sum of equity capital, reinvested earnings and other capital; in 2022 it was negative, at minus $0.19 billion, and is drawn just below zero. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Investment Report 2026, gives the same FDI figures for 2020, 2021 and 2023 to 2025, but $0.90 billion for 2022. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provisional figures for 2024, published in April 2025, were $20.98 billion of personal transfers and $1.08 billion of direct investment inflows; the World Bank figures shown incorporate later data.

Source documents: World Bank, Personal remittances, received (current US$): Nigeria; World Bank, Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$): Nigeria; UNCTAD, World Investment Report 2026, annex tables; Central Bank of Nigeria, 2024 Annual Balance of Payments Highlights.

Show the figures
YearPersonal remittancesForeign direct investment
201520.633.06
201619.703.45
201722.042.41
201824.310.78
201923.812.31
202017.212.39
202119.483.31
202220.13-0.19
202319.551.87
202422.131.61
202522.794.01
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Over the eleven years, remittances totalled $231.77 billion and net FDI inflows $25.01 billion. Remittances were lowest in 2020, at $17.21 billion, and highest in 2018, at $24.31 billion. In 2022, net FDI inflows were negative, at minus $0.19 billion.

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