On September 5, 2025, a report revealed that Nigeria’s marketing industry has attracted a total of $26.39 million in foreign investments since 2023, signaling a cautious but welcome return of investor confidence after a sharp decline in 2024.
The data, sourced from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), provides a glimpse into the sector’s volatile journey and its promising outlook in the face of ongoing economic challenges.
According to the NBS capital importation data, the sector recorded a robust $22.13 million in foreign inflows in 2023 before plummeting to just $1.29 million in 2024. However, the first quarter of 2025 has brought a glimmer of hope, with a modest rebound to $2.97 million. This cumulative inflow of over $26 million has brought a sense of cautious optimism to industry stakeholders.
Industry leaders have attributed the recent uptick to the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to stabilize policy and foreign exchange, which is beginning to reassure investors.
The President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria, Tolulope Medebem, stated that the slight rebound shows “renewed interest” in the industry, which she said is too big an opportunity for global players to ignore, given Nigeria’s fast-growing digital ecosystem.
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Echoing this sentiment, Tony Agenmonmen, a former President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, noted that the rebound reflects a “cautious return of investor confidence,” linked to macroeconomic stabilization efforts and the growing digitalization of Nigerian brands.
The stakeholders also underscored that foreign investments are vital for the sector’s growth, as they bring more than just capital. They stated that foreign inflows come with global best practices, partnerships, and innovation that strengthen the local sector, creating jobs and fostering an environment for growth.
They stressed that to sustain this momentum, Nigeria must address lingering issues such as policy unpredictability, regulatory bottlenecks, and its high-risk market perception. According to Agenmonmen, a sustained recovery will position Nigeria not just to survive economic cycles but to drive the growth story of the entire economy.
