IMF forecasts Nigeria’s economy to grow by 4.1% in 2026
Add us on Google Nigeria is expected to remain one of the resilient economies in 2026, with growth projected at 4.1 per cent, even as global growth stays weak, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The projection was contained in the IMF 2026 World Economic Outlook, titled: “Global Economy in the Shadow of War”, released on Tuesday at the ongoing IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC. The report projects Nigeria economy to grow by 4.1 per cent in 2026 and 4.3 per cent in 2027, up from the 4.0 per cent projected in 2025. The forecast places Nigeria ahead of many advanced and emerging economies in the IMF 2026 growth projection. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google /* 1. 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The High-Impact Button / .gn-button { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; padding: 14px 24px; border: 1px solid #dadce0; border-radius: 30px; / Modern pill shape / text-decoration: none; background: #ffffff; color: #3c4043; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(60,64,67,0.1); } .gn-button-text { font-size: 17px; / Increased font size / font-weight: 700; / Maximum boldness / letter-spacing: 0.1px; } .gn-button:hover { background: #f8f9fa; border-color: #d2d2d2; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(60,64,67,0.2); transform: translateY(-1px); } .gn-icon { width: 22px; / Matched to larger text size / height: 22px; object-fit: contain; } / 5. 📱 Mobile Optimization / @media (max-width: 480px) { .gn-card { padding: 20px; } .gn-header { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 10px; } .gn-title { font-size: 20px; } .gn-description { font-size: 16px; } .gn-button { width: 100%; justify-content: center; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 14px 10px; } .gn-button-text { font-size: 15px; / Scaled slightly for small screens / } } The report also forecasts that global economic growth will slow down to 3.1 per cent in 2026 before edging up slightly to 3.2 per cent in 2027, while global headline inflation is expected to increase modestly in 2026. The IMF said the slowdown in global growth is mainly due to the conflict in the Middle East, adding that this came amid higher trade barriers and uncertainty in 2025. “After withstanding higher trade barriers and elevated uncertainty last year, global activity now faces a major test from the outbreak of war in the Middle East. “Assuming that the conflict remains limited in duration and scope, global growth is projected to slow to 3.1 per cent in 2026 and 3.2 per cent in 2027,” the IMF stated. READ ALSO: Nigerian economy recovers, but poverty remains a threat – World Bank Report The global body added that the slowdown in growth and increase in inflation are expected to be particularly pronounced in emerging markets and developing economies. Other economies In contrast, developing economies continue to drive global growth with India leading the pack with a robust 6.5 per cent growth forecast, while China is expected to grow by 4.4 per cent in 2026. Several leading economies are projected to grow at a much slower pace. The United States is forecast to grow by 2.3 per cent in 2026, while Europe’s largest economy, Germany, is expected to grow at just 0.8 per cent. Other major European economies such as France (0.9 per cent) and Italy (0.5 per cent) are also projected to see limited expansion, which reflects persistent energy-related challenges. Share this: Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google / 1. 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