The World Bank has projected that Nigeria’s economy will grow by 4.4 per cent in both 2026 and 2027, marking what it described as the country’s fastest pace of economic expansion in more than a decade.
The projection is contained in the Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report released in January 2026. According to the report, Nigeria’s growth forecast for 2026 was revised upward to 4.4 per cent from the 3.7 per cent earlier projected in the June 2025 edition.
The 2027 growth estimate was retained at 4.4 per cent. The World Bank said the revised outlook reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s medium-term economic prospects, supported by improving macroeconomic conditions and ongoing reforms.
It noted that stronger performance in key sectors, alongside better policy coordination, is expected to drive sustained growth over the period. Despite the positive outlook, the report cautioned that Nigeria continues to face structural challenges that could constrain growth if not adequately addressed.
These include infrastructure deficits, inflationary pressures, fiscal constraints and vulnerabilities linked to global economic developments. The Bank stressed the need for sustained reforms to boost productivity, strengthen human capital development and deepen private sector participation to ensure that the projected growth translates into broad-based economic benefits.
Overall, the report described Nigeria’s outlook as encouraging, positioning the country as one of the faster-growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa over the 2026–2027 period.
