The Federal Government has set its sights on mobilising about N246 trillion in private capital to accelerate economic expansion and shift Nigeria firmly from stabilisation to growth.
The ambitious target is contained in the 2026 Growth Acceleration and Investment Mobilisation Strategy, which signals a decisive move away from direct government intervention towards a private sector-led growth model anchored on capital de-risking and market-driven reforms.
The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, disclosed the plan in a statement, saying the strategy is designed to unlock large-scale domestic and foreign investment by lowering risks, removing policy distortions, and strengthening execution across key sectors.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the new strategy builds on reforms implemented over the past 24 months, including exchange rate unification, energy market restructuring, and fiscal consolidation, and marks Nigeria’s transition from economic stabilisation to sustained expansion.
Under the plan, government intervention will focus on creating a predictable macroeconomic environment, dismantling price controls and regulatory barriers, and deploying blended finance, guarantees, and credit enhancements to crowd in private investors.
A sector-led approach based on a “willing buyer, willing seller” framework will guide implementation, with priority sectors including energy and gas-based industrialisation, agribusiness, manufacturing, housing and urban infrastructure, healthcare, digital services, creative industries, logistics, and solid minerals.
The Federal Government has also assigned a central role to Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in mobilising long-term capital and de-risking investments, describing them as critical partners in achieving the N246tn capital target through 2036.
Domestic DFIs such as the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) are expected to anchor financing and risk-sharing frameworks, while the Ministry of Finance will assume the development finance quasi-fiscal responsibilities previously handled by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Uzoka-Anite said the government plans to strengthen DFIs through improved capitalisation, governance reforms, and expanded risk-sharing powers, with treasury support and sovereign guarantees where necessary.
The strategy also places strong emphasis on financial inclusion and consumer credit, with the Federal Government pledging to work with the CBN, commercial banks, microfinance institutions, and fintechs to expand access to affordable credit for households, microenterprises, and informal sector players.
Speaking on the new direction, Uzoka-Anite said: “Our focus is to move decisively from stabilisation to growth. The reforms underway are designed to lower risk and unlock private capital at scale.”
She added: “Given the scale of Nigeria’s growth ambition and the need to crowd in long-term, patient capital estimated at about N246 trillion through 2036, Development Finance Institutions will play a critical and catalytic role in de-risking priority sectors and anchoring investor confidence.”
On inclusive growth, the minister said: “Expanding consumer credit and financial inclusion will ensure that capital reaches the last mile of the economy and translates macroeconomic reforms into tangible welfare gains for Nigerians.”
