World Bank raises Nigeria’s 2026 economic growth rate projection to 4.4%
The World Bank has revised upward its outlook for Nigeria’s economy, projecting stronger growth in the coming years following improved performance and a more resilient global environment.
In its latest Global Economic Prospects report released on Tuesday, the Bretton Woods institution raised Nigeria’s 2026 growth forecast to 4.4 percent, up from the 3.7 percent projection issued in June 2025. The bank also upgraded its estimate for 2027, lifting the growth outlook to 4.4 percent from the earlier 3.8 percent forecast.
The World Bank further noted that Nigeria’s economy likely expanded by 4.2 percent in 2025, significantly higher than the 3.6 percent growth rate it had anticipated in June last year.
On the global front, the bank revised its 2026 world economic growth projection upward to 2.6 percent from 2.4 percent. Global growth for 2025 is now estimated at 2.7 percent, compared to the 2.3 percent forecast made last year, while the 2027 projection stands at 2.7 percent, slightly higher than the 2.6 percent estimated in June 2025.
According to the report, the global economy has shown greater resilience than expected despite ongoing trade frictions and policy uncertainties. However, the World Bank cautioned that much of the growth is concentrated in advanced economies and is unlikely to significantly reduce extreme poverty. It also warned that the 2020s are on track to become the slowest growth decade since the 1960s.
“The resilience reflects stronger-than-expected growth, particularly in the United States, which accounts for about two-thirds of the upward revision to the 2026 forecast,” the report stated.
The institution expects global growth to moderate in 2026 as the effects of trade-related stimulus fade. Nevertheless, easing financial conditions and increased fiscal spending are projected to help soften the slowdown. Inflation is forecast to decline to 2.6 percent in 2026, with growth expected to gain momentum again in 2027 as trade tensions and policy uncertainties subside.
Commenting on the outlook, World Bank Group Chief Economist Indermit Gill said the global economy is becoming less capable of generating strong growth even as it appears more resilient to shocks.
“Economic dynamism and resilience cannot remain disconnected indefinitely without putting pressure on public finances and credit markets,” Gill said. “In the years ahead, global growth is expected to be weaker than in the troubled 1990s, while public and private debt levels remain at record highs.
