President Bola Tinubu on Thursday celebrated the Nigerian Exchange Group’s breakthrough into the N100 trillion market capitalisation threshold, saying Nigeria has moved from an ignored frontier market to a compelling investment destination.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu urged Nigerians to increase their investments in the domestic economy, expressing confidence that 2026 would deliver stronger returns as ongoing reforms take firmer root.
He noted that the NGX closed 2025 with a 51.19 per cent return, outperforming global indices such as the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, as well as several BRICS+ emerging markets, after recording 37.65% in 2024.
‘With the Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100 trillion market capitalisation mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality and rejuvenation’, President Tinubu said, attributing the stellar performance to Nigerian companies proving they can deliver strong investment returns across all sectors, from blue-chip industrials localising supply chains to banks demonstrating technological innovation.
The President added: ‘Year-to-date returns have significantly outpaced the S&P 500, the FTSE 100, and even many of our emerging-market peers in the BRICS+ group. Nigeria is no longer a frontier market to be ignored—it is now a compelling destination where value is being discovered’.
The President disclosed that more indigenous energy firms, technology companies, telecoms operators and infrastructure firms are preparing to list on the exchange, a move he said would deepen market capitalisation and broaden economic participation.
President Tinubu also cited what he described as a sustained decline in inflation over eight months — from 34.8% in December 2024 to 14.45% in November 2025—projecting that the rate would fall below 10 per cent before the end of 2026.
‘Indeed, inflation is likely to fall below 10 per cent before the end of this year, leading to improved living standards and accelerated GDP growth. The year 2026 promises to be an epochal year for delivering prosperity to all Nigerians’, he said.
He attributed the trend to monetary tightening, elimination of Ways and Means financing, and agricultural investments, which he said helped stabilise the naira and ease post-reform pressures.
Nigeria’s current account surplus reached $16 billion in 2024, with the Central Bank projecting $18.81 billion in 2026, reflecting a trade pattern shift toward exporting more and importing less locally-producible goods.
Non-oil exports jumped 48% to N9.2 trillion by the third quarter of 2025, with African exports nearly doubling to N4.9 trillion. Manufacturing exports grew 67 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.
Foreign reserves have crossed $45 billion and are expected to breach $50 billion in the first quarter, giving the CBN ammunition to maintain currency stability and end the volatility that previously fuelled speculation, according to the President.
President Tinubu also highlighted infrastructure expansion in rail networks, arterial roads, port revitalisation, and the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, alongside improvements in healthcare facilities that are reducing medical tourism costs, and increased university research grants funded through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.
‘Our medicare facilities are improving, and medical tourism costs are declining. Our students benefit from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, and universities are receiving increased research grants’, he said.
President Tinubu described nation-building as a process requiring hard work, sacrifices, and citizen focus, pledging to continue working to build an egalitarian, transparent, and high-growth economy catalysed by historic tax and fiscal reforms that came into full implementation from 1 January.
