Foreign investment outflow from Nigeria’s stock market surged by an extraordinary 250.86% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching N420.37 billion, up from N119.81 billion during the same period in 2024. According to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), this dramatic increase marked a shift, as foreign investment outflow outpaced inflow by 20% or N20.11 billion in Q1’25. On the other hand, foreign investment inflows also saw a substantial rise, increasing by 275% to N349.97 billion in Q1’25, compared to N93.37 billion in the first quarter of 2024.
The total value of equity transactions, including domestic and foreign investors, amounted to N2.23 trillion in Q1’25, surpassing the N1.54 trillion recorded in Q1’24. This represents a remarkable 44.8% increase of N690 billion. Foreign transactions accounted for N814.05 billion, while domestic transactions totaled N1.41 trillion.
The NGX also highlighted a significant increase in trading activity during March 2025, with total transactions rising by 118.95% month-on-month, reaching N1.1155 trillion, up from N509.47 billion in February. Year-on-year, March 2025 transactions grew by 107.14% compared to March 2024. Interestingly, foreign investors were more active than domestic investors in March, accounting for around 26% of total transactions.
Further details revealed a decline in domestic transactions, which fell by 10.98% month-on-month in March to N415.62 billion, down from N466.82 billion in February. Meanwhile, foreign transactions experienced an astonishing 1,541% increase, reaching N699.89 billion in March from just N42.65 billion in February. However, domestic inflows dropped by 26.78%, while domestic outflows decreased by 17.53% in Q1 2025.
This surge in foreign investment outflow and influx reflects shifting trends in Nigeria’s stock market as global investors respond to the evolving economic landscape.
