Federal Government says the country will enter a new phase of economic expansion in 2026, shifting from macroeconomic stabilisation to accelerated growth, investment mobilisation and job creation, as it targets a $1 trillion economy by 2036.
The new direction, anchored by the Federal Ministry of Finance ,FMF, builds on reforms implemented over the past two years, including exchange rate unification, energy market restructuring and fiscal consolidation, and now moves into what officials describe as a “second wave” of growth-focused reforms.
According to Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of State for Finance in a statement, the administration’s priority in 2026 is to scale output, deepen domestic value creation and unlock private capital at scale.
“Our focus is to move decisively from stabilisation to growth”, Uzoka-Anite said. “The reforms underway are designed to lower risk, unlock private capital, and ensure that Nigeria delivers sustainable returns for investors while expanding opportunity for our citizens”.
She noted that Nigeria’s economy is transitioning into an expansionary phase, with government policy now centred on productivity, capital formation, and export competitiveness, rather than short-term macroeconomic firefighting.
At the heart of the strategy is a Growth Acceleration and Investment Mobilisation framework, coordinated by the FMF in close alignment with the Central Bank of Nigeria ,CBN.
The government states that this coordination is crucial for lowering inflation expectations, compressing sovereign risk premiums, and reducing the cost of capital across the economy.
Fiscal and monetary authorities have jointly adopted a Disinflation and Growth Acceleration Strategy ,DGAS, which the Finance Ministry says will guide policy execution and restore investor confidence over the medium term.
“Macroeconomic predictability is essential for investment”, Uzoka-Anite said. “We are focused on consistent policies, disciplined execution and clear sectoral pathways that investors can trust”.
The government’s growth plan is explicitly sector-led, with priority given to energy and gas-based industrialisation, agribusiness, manufacturing, housing, healthcare, digital services, creative industries, logistics, and solid minerals. Officials say price controls and regulatory bottlenecks that have historically constrained these sectors will be dismantled to allow market-driven expansion.
Nigeria is also positioning domestic value chains as a central pillar of its growth ambition, in line with the “Nigeria First” policy introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The approach prioritises the use of locally sourced raw materials, labour, and intellectual property while maintaining an open, export-oriented economic model.
Uzoka-Anite said the goal is to rebuild Nigeria’s competitiveness in non-oil exports, citing cocoa processing and agricultural value chains as examples of sectors with immediate potential to boost foreign exchange earnings while meeting international market standards.
A major component of the 2026 agenda is capital formation. The government plans to deepen Nigeria’s capital and insurance markets by expanding long-term local currency instruments, improving market transparency, and strengthening investor protections. Pension funds, insurance firms and other institutional investors are expected to play a larger role in financing infrastructure, housing and productive sectors.
In parallel, insurance sector reforms will focus on recapitalisation and improved supervision to strengthen risk management and project bankability, particularly in climate-sensitive and capital-intensive sectors.
“Capital formation is central to our growth acceleration strategy. We are focused on expanding long-term, patient capital, reducing investment risk and ensuring efficient allocation to productive sectors”, she added.
The administration is also placing renewed emphasis on financial inclusion and consumer credit as a driver of domestic demand. Working with banks, fintechs and microfinance institutions, the government plans to expand access to affordable credit for households, micro-enterprises and informal sector participants, with particular focus on women- and youth-led businesses.
Development Finance Institutions ,DFIs, are expected to play a more strategic role in delivering the agenda, as the Finance Ministry takes over quasi-fiscal development finance responsibilities previously housed at the CBN. Domestic DFIs such as the Bank of Industry and NEXIM Bank will be repositioned as core execution vehicles for priority sectors, supported by improved capitalisation, stronger governance, and enhanced risk-sharing tools.
Given Nigeria’s estimated long-term capital needs of approximately N246 trillion through 2036, the government views DFIs as essential to attracting private and foreign capital through blended finance, guarantees, and co-investment structures.
On the fiscal side, the government says it will intensify non-oil revenue mobilisation in 2026, following the implementation of new federal tax laws effective January 1. A new Revenue Optimisation Platform ,RevOps, is being rolled out across federal agencies to improve compliance, transparency and real-time visibility into government revenues.
Uzoka-Anite said the digitisation of revenue collection, including mandatory electronic receipts for all federal services, will strengthen accountability and improve cash management across government.
The administration also plans to optimise domestic debt by extending maturities and reducing short-term interest burdens, creating fiscal space for infrastructure and human capital investment while easing pressure on financial markets.
To improve execution capacity, the government is accelerating the digitisation of public sector workflows and investment approvals, with the aim of reducing transaction costs and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness as an investment destination.
