Net foreign assets in Nigeria
Nigeria: Net foreign assets was 41.98 billion current US$ in 2011. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2011)
41.98 billion current US$
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
3rd
of 51 countries
All-time high
64.86 billion current US$
in 2008
All-time low
-198.28 million current US$
in 1994
Years of data
52
1960–2011
Net foreign assets in Nigeria, 1960–2011
Source: International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics and data files. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2011, net foreign assets in Nigeria stood at 41.98 billion current US$.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 257.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Nigeria peaked at 64.86 billion current US$ in 2008 and was at its lowest, -198.28 million current US$, in 1994.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 51 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 309.40 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 313.04 million current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 284.90 million current US$ | -9.0% |
| 1963 | 215.00 million current US$ | -24.5% |
| 1964 | 185.04 million current US$ | -13.9% |
| 1965 | 223.54 million current US$ | +20.8% |
| 1966 | 192.78 million current US$ | -13.8% |
| 1967 | 77.28 million current US$ | -59.9% |
| 1968 | 111.45 million current US$ | +44.2% |
| 1969 | 131.90 million current US$ | +18.3% |
| 1970 | 215.06 million current US$ | +63.0% |
| 1971 | 425.64 million current US$ | +97.9% |
| 1972 | 370.36 million current US$ | -13.0% |
| 1973 | 629.49 million current US$ | +70.0% |
| 1974 | 5.68 billion current US$ | +801.8% |
| 1975 | 5.85 billion current US$ | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 5.28 billion current US$ | -9.8% |
| 1977 | 4.44 billion current US$ | -16.0% |
| 1978 | 2.19 billion current US$ | -50.6% |
| 1979 | 5.76 billion current US$ | +162.6% |
| 1980 | 10.30 billion current US$ | +78.8% |
| 1981 | 4.01 billion current US$ | -61.0% |
| 1982 | 1.58 billion current US$ | -60.7% |
| 1983 | 1.08 billion current US$ | -31.6% |
| 1984 | 1.76 billion current US$ | +63.2% |
| 1985 | 1.82 billion current US$ | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 1.35 billion current US$ | -25.9% |
| 1987 | 1.66 billion current US$ | +23.2% |
| 1988 | 1.49 billion current US$ | -10.2% |
| 1989 | 2.39 billion current US$ | +60.5% |
| 1990 | 4.59 billion current US$ | +92.0% |
| 1991 | 5.48 billion current US$ | +19.4% |
| 1992 | 466.86 million current US$ | -91.5% |
| 1993 | 392.30 million current US$ | -16.0% |
| 1994 | -198.28 million current US$ | -150.5% |
| 1995 | 2.80 billion current US$ | -1510.5% |
| 1996 | 8.85 billion current US$ | +216.4% |
| 1997 | 8.66 billion current US$ | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 9.29 billion current US$ | +7.2% |
| 1999 | 6.60 billion current US$ | -29.0% |
| 2000 | 10.63 billion current US$ | +61.2% |
| 2001 | 11.73 billion current US$ | +10.3% |
| 2002 | 9.93 billion current US$ | -15.4% |
| 2003 | 9.94 billion current US$ | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 19.74 billion current US$ | +98.6% |
| 2005 | 29.96 billion current US$ | +51.8% |
| 2006 | 48.25 billion current US$ | +61.0% |
| 2007 | 62.16 billion current US$ | +28.8% |
| 2008 | 64.86 billion current US$ | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 48.72 billion current US$ | -24.9% |
| 2010 | 41.38 billion current US$ | -15.1% |
| 2011 | 41.98 billion current US$ | +1.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 41.98 billion current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.37 billion current US$, 17.7× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 41.98 billion current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.19 billion current US$, 35.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +1510.5% | -198.28 million current US$ | 2.80 billion current US$ |
| 1974 | +801.8% | 629.49 million current US$ | 5.68 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 204.43 million current US$ | 77.28 million current US$ | 313.04 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.08 billion current US$ | 215.06 million current US$ | 5.85 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.74 billion current US$ | 1.08 billion current US$ | 10.30 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.69 billion current US$ | -198.28 million current US$ | 9.29 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.59 billion current US$ | 9.93 billion current US$ | 64.86 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.68 billion current US$ | 41.38 billion current US$ | 41.98 billion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More financial sector data for Nigeria
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 1.01 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.7387 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 1.01 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Nigeria?
- Net foreign assets in Nigeria was 41.98 billion current US$ in 2011, according to International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics and data files.
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 64.86 billion current US$ in 2008.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was -198.28 million current US$ in 1994.
- How does Nigeria rank for net foreign assets?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 51 countries with data for 2011.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 257.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics and data files, published as part of Net foreign assets (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. Data are in current U.S. dollars.