Nigeria Foreign Reserves
Total reserves including gold FI.RES.TOTL.CD
Nigeria's foreign reserves was $35.3B in 2025, ranked 53rd globally. This represents a 8.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Nigeria's foreign reserves stood at $35.3B in 2025, a decline of +$3.3B from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach $35.3B by 2025. Nigeria ranked 53rd globally.
Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have risen from a modest 112,359,200.00 in the 1967 trough to an all‑time peak of 53,598,093,556.54 in 2008, before moderating to 35,280,720,739.10 in 2025, placing the country 53rd globally. Over the 66‑year coverage, the reserve stock grew more than 300‑fold, reflecting periods of oil‑price booms, fiscal consolidation and occasional balance‑of‑payments pressures. The 2008 high coincided with the commodity super‑cycle that lifted many resource‑rich economies, while the post‑2008 decline mirrors lower oil revenues and currency depreciation. Compared with peers, Nigeria’s 2025 reserves are slightly below Morocco’s 36,369,943,342.80 and just above Austria’s 34,974,666,433.83, indicating a competitive standing among mid‑size reserve holders. Continued diversification of export earnings and prudent monetary policy could stabilize the reserve base, while any resurgence in oil prices or external financing constraints would likely shift the trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Foreign Reserves | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | $34.3B | - | - |
| 2026* trend | $34.8B | - | - |
| 2025* trend | $35.3B | - | - |
| 2025 | $35.3B | −$3.3B | #53 |
| 2024 | $38.6B | +$6.6B | #50 |
| 2023 | $32.0B | −$3.5B | #53 |
| 2022 | $35.6B | −$4.9B | #49 |
| 2021 | $40.5B | +$3.7B | #47 |
| 2020 | $36.7B | −$1.6B | #50 |
| 2019 | $38.3B | −$4.5B | #47 |
| 2018 | $42.8B | +$2.3B | #41 |
| 2017 | $40.5B | +$12.5B | #42 |
| 2016 | $28.0B | −$991.3M | #48 |
| 2015 | $29.0B | −$6.1B | #45 |
| 2014 | $35.1B | −$8.6B | #45 |
| 2013 | $43.7B | −$1.3B | #41 |
| 2012 | $45.0B | +$11.3B | #39 |
| 2011 | $33.7B | +$386.7M | #44 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Nigeria matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw foreign reserves improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Nigeria's foreign reserves was $35.3B in 2025. Ranked 53rd globally. This represents a 8.6% decrease from the previous year.
Nigeria's foreign reserves peaked at $53.6B in 2008.
The lowest foreign reserves in Nigeria was $112.4M in 1967.
Nigeria ranks 53rd globally in foreign reserves as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is FI.RES.TOTL.CD. Data sourced from World Bank.
Nigeria's foreign reserves is projected to reach $35.3B by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
Nigeria's foreign reserves was approximately 35.28 billion ($35.3B) in 2025.
The foreign reserves of Nigeria in 2025 was $35.3B. This ranks 53rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_nigeria_reserves,
title = {Nigeria Foreign Reserves},
url = {https://historysaid.com/nigeria/reserves/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}