Nigeria launches $78.5bn deal room for investors

Nigeria’s government has unveiled a $78.5 billion “deal room” program designed to draw in foreign capital, featuring 65 investment-ready projects across strategic industries. The framework was rolled out during the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, where officials stressed its importance for unlocking funding to boost infrastructure and economic expansion.

Projects span oil and gas, electricity, transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, digital infrastructure, and municipal services. Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele and Central Bank Governor Olayemi Cardoso led discussions on economic reforms, highlighting a GDP growth rate of 4.43% and a decline in inflation from 23.14% to 15.39% over 2025. The government also reported stronger foreign reserves and increased state allocations, alongside upgrades from major credit agencies.

Reduced dependence on oil has stabilized production levels, protecting the economy from price swings. The Central Bank noted $58.81 billion in foreign exchange reserves and nearly closed the gap between official and parallel currency markets, bringing the difference under 2%. These adjustments support the government’s strategy of achieving economic stability through disciplined fiscal policies and broader capital market access.

Oyedele identified five key reform areas: agricultural initiatives to control food-related price increases, power sector improvements to fuel economic activity, fiscal adjustments to curb inflation, streamlined regulations, and transparent financial reporting. Cardoso emphasized that bringing inflation down to single digits remains a top priority, saying inflation is one of the biggest burdens on low-income households.