WorldStage– The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite has said that the country has gained global investors confidence as they are now seeking for business opportunities.
Uzoka-Anite told journalists on the sidelines of the 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Group(WBG) meetings, in Washington that, “At the investor conference, there is strong interest in the country, many investors were asking when Nigeria would return to the Eurobond market.”
She that the investors’ interest in the country’s economy had been revived by ongoing reforms and policy clarity.
“Such interest shows confidence, when investors buy your bonds, it is a vote of trust in your economy,” Uzoka-Anite said.
She said that with Nigeria’s macroeconomic environment now stabilising and growth becoming more robust, investors were regaining confidence.
“One major advantage for investors today is the freedom to bring in funds and repatriate them at any time without foreign exchange restrictions.
“That freedom boosts investor confidence,” the minister said.
Uzoka-Anite said that the foreign direct investment inflows were beginning to rise again, with global corporations and diaspora investors showing renewed interest in the Nigerian economy.
“For instance, Shell recently announced a two billion dollar expansion in oil exploration. There is also rising enthusiasm from the diaspora community and other international investors.
“All these are positive indicators for our economy,” she said.
“The minister said that the country’s engagement at the annual meetings were very exciting and impactful.
According to her, the delegation held strategic discussions with multilateral financial institutions and regional development banks.
Uzoka-Anite said that the engagements provided an opportunity to share the Nigerian success story, and highlighted the country’s progress in implementing far-reaching reforms.
“Everyone is genuinely excited about the bold reforms we have implemented and the macroeconomic stability that has followed.
“To many observers here, it seems almost like a miracle that Nigeria could undertake multiple bold reforms within two years and begin to witness growth.
“Both the IMF and the World Bank have commended Nigeria for this achievement.
“For us, this is a testament to the visionary leadership of President Bola Tinubu, who has steered the country through tough waters and positioned us to see a clearer path ahead,” she said.
The Minister said that the economy was witnessing positive trends in inflation rate stability.
“For the first time in over five years, inflation has fallen below 20 per cent, it means food and other essentials are becoming cheaper.
“Price moderation is being helped by greater clarity and stability in the foreign exchange market.
“With the Naira appreciating and confidence returning, manufacturers and traders are pricing their goods more realistically, which is reflected in declining inflation,” she said.
Uzoka-Anite said that the country’s foreign exchange reserves had also grown to over 43 billion dollars, a level not seen in many years.
She said that this reserve growth was not driven by borrowed funds.
“There are no debt obligations tied to it. It is a strong, stable position for the economy,” she said.
The Minister said that the developments translated into better living conditions for Nigerians, as the reforms continue to take firm root and their impact begins to manifest across key sectors.
“In the short term, this will mean more job creation, greater access to capital, increased private investment, and improved social spending.
“The cost of doing business is expected to fall, and as confidence continues to rise, the Central Bank’s decision to start reducing the monetary policy rate is another positive signal.
“Everything is moving in the right direction,”the minister said.
She also said that the social protection remained one of the core pillars of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
She said that government policies were focused on fostering inclusive growth, promoting job creation, and ensuring shared prosperity.
Uzoka-Anite said that the efforts were yielding results as reflected in stronger GDP performance.
“Our GDP has grown by 4.23 per cent for the first time, faster than the population growth rate.
“Previously, population growth had always outpaced economic growth.
“Now, there is renewed hope that a child born today will grow up in an economy capable of providing for their needs through investments in social protection, healthcare, education, and food systems,” she said.
