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Foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose to $13.53 billion in 2025, representing a 93.25% year-on-year increase from $7.00 billion recorded in 2024.

This surge occurred as banks intensified capital raising ahead of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recapitalisation deadline.

Latest data from the capital importation report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows the banking sector remained the largest destination for foreign capital, accounting for 58.26% of total inflows in 2025, compared to 56.81% in 2024, highlighting its dominance in Nigeria’s capital importation landscape.

A breakdown of the data shows sustained growth across all quarters, reflecting consistent foreign investor participation.

The pattern suggests that capital raising was not concentrated in a single window but sustained throughout the year, aligning with banks’ phased recapitalisation strategies.

The sector maintained a commanding share of total capital importation across all quarters in 2025.

Quarterly inflows in 2025 were also stronger across the board, rising from $5.64 billion in Q1 to $6.44 billion in Q4, signalling improving investor confidence and stronger liquidity conditions.

The banking sector alone contributed over $6.53 billion to the total increase of $10.90 billion, reinforcing its central role in driving the overall growth.

The data shows that Nigeria’s recapitalisation exercise is likely a major driver of foreign capital inflows, reshaping the structure of capital importation.

As the March 31, 2026 deadline approaches, the sustained inflow trend points to significant progress by banks in meeting regulatory requirements, although final outcomes may still trigger consolidation through mergers or licence adjustments.