Nigeria’s External Reserves Rise $9.29bn in Nine Months, Seven Times 2025 Gain
Nigeria’s external reserves increased by $9.29 billion in the first nine months of 2026, more than seven times the increase recorded during the corresponding period of 2025.
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the country’s reserves rose from $45.57 billion on January 2, 2026, to $54.86 billion as of September 24, representing a 20.4% increase over the period.
Reserves gain accelerates sharply
The latest increase marks a significant improvement compared with the same period last year.
Between January 2 and September 24, 2025, Nigeria’s external reserves rose by approximately $1.32 billion, from $40.88 billion to $42.20 billion.
By comparison, the $9.29 billion increase recorded during the corresponding period of 2026 was roughly seven times the gain posted in 2025.
The stronger reserve accumulation has also lifted Nigeria’s external buffer significantly above its level at the beginning of the year, providing the country with a larger stock of foreign exchange assets.
Reserves climb above $54bn
Nigeria’s reserves stood at $54.86 billion as of September 24, placing them more than $9 billion above the level recorded at the start of 2026.
The increase represents a marked improvement in the country’s external liquidity position compared with the previous year and comes as the Central Bank continues to manage foreign exchange liquidity and strengthen the country’s external buffers.
The pace of accumulation in 2026 therefore represents a substantial change from the relatively modest increase recorded over the comparable period in 2025.
