The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected Nigeria’s economy to grow by 4.4% in 2026, up from the 4,2% earlier projected.
This was contained in the World Economic Outlook released by the Fund on Monday.
The global monetary body based its prediction on the economic reforms introduced by the current administration of President Bola Tinubu and the fiscal coordination and macroeconomic stability so far achieved.
It also forecast the nation’s economy to grow by 4.1% in 2027.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, regional growth was revised upward from 4.0% to 4.1% for 2025, and from 4.3 per cent to 4.4% for 2026, indicating a broadly shared recovery trend.
South Africa’s growth outlook also improved slightly, with forecasts rising to 1.3% for 2025 and 1.4% for 2026, up from earlier projections.
IMF explained that the latest projections were broadly unchanged from a year earlier, as the global economy shakes off the immediate impact of the tariff shock.
According to the report, global growth is projected at 3.3 percent for 2026 and 3.2 percent for 2027, revised slightly up since the October 2025 World Economic Outlook.
Noting that technology investment, fiscal and monetary support, accommodative financial conditions, and private sector adaptability offset trade policy shifts.
Meanwhile, it projected global inflation to fall, but US inflation would return to target more gradually. Saying that key downside risks are reevaluation of technology expectations and escalation of geopolitical tensions.
IMF advised policymakers to restore fiscal buffers, preserve price and financial stability, reduce uncertainty, and implement structural reforms.
