Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns over Nigeria’s investment environment, citing a significant net outflow of foreign portfolio investment from the country’s equities market.
Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the latest figures from the Nigerian Exchange should serve as a warning about investor confidence in the Nigerian economy.
According to the figures cited by Atiku, foreign investors brought ₦513.36 billion into Nigeria’s equities market between January and July 2026 but withdrew ₦779.43 billion during the same period.
That resulted in a reported net outflow of approximately ₦266.07 billion.
Atiku argued that the movement of foreign capital provided an important indication of how investors were responding to economic conditions.
His camp said the figures should prompt urgent policy attention from the Federal Government, particularly regarding measures aimed at restoring investor confidence and strengthening the economy.
The former vice president has repeatedly criticised the Tinubu administration’s economic policies and is expected to make the economy a major part of his campaign messaging ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The government, however, has continued to defend its economic reforms, arguing that measures implemented since 2023 are designed to stabilise the economy and attract long-term investment.
The latest exchange highlights the growing political battle over the interpretation of Nigeria’s economic performance ahead of the next election.