IMF Raises Nigeria’s 2026 Growth Forecast to 4.2 Percent, Flags Ongoing Hardship

ABUJA, Oct. 13 (EME) – The International Monetary Fund raised its forecast for Nigeria’s real GDP growth in 2026 to 4.2 percent, an upward revision of 0.1 percentage point, while projecting 4.3 percent growth in 2027, according to its latest World Economic Outlook.

The Fund attributed the outlook to improved macroeconomic stability and favourable terms of trade. It simultaneously warned that higher prices for food and energy were expected to aggravate poverty and food insecurity, and it urged greater support for vulnerable households. Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio was projected to decline to 32.3 percent in 2026 from 35.5 percent the previous year. Separate assessments by the World Bank and Fitch Ratings have also pointed to stronger external buffers, rising reserves and the effects of subsidy and foreign-exchange reforms.

Posts circulating on X from accounts including @pmnewsnigeria referenced the IMF’s call for increased support amid rising food prices, reflecting broader public discussion of the growth figures alongside persistent cost-of-living pressures.