Foreign investor participation on NGX drops to record low 4.89% in August 2026
Foreign investor participation on the Nigerian Exchange fell to 4.89% of equity transactions in August 2026, the lowest monthly share this year, as foreign trading value dropped to N62.03 billion from N132.62 billion in July, a 53.23% decline. Total equity transactions also fell 46.38% to N1.27 trillion from N2.37 trillion in July, though August 2026 turnover remained 39.75% above the N908.4 billion recorded in August 2025.
Domestic investors now account for about 89.77% of market activity in the first eight months of 2026, up from 78.99% a year earlier, with foreign investors net sellers for eight consecutive months, accumulating a net sell position of N275.16 billion (about 6.35 times the 2025 level). This shift means market growth is driven almost entirely by local trading, reducing reliance on foreign capital and potentially affecting liquidity and valuation of Nigerian stocks.
Foreign purchases in August were N26.47 billion versus sales of N35.56 billion, leaving a net sell of N9.09 billion—smaller than July’s N49.44 billion due to lower overall activity rather than stronger buying. For investors, the data suggests caution when relying on foreign inflows to support stock prices; consider focusing on fundamentals of individual stocks and monitoring domestic institutional flows, which dropped sharply in August but still dominate. Watch for signs of renewed foreign interest, which could signal improved confidence in Nigeria’s economic outlook.