Business
Don Blames Low FDI Inflow On Weak Data Base
A don, Prof. Bayo Olateju, on Tuesday identified inadequate
database on real estate business in Nigeria as the major cause of low inflow of
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the sector.
Olateju, the Head, Civil Engineering Department, Federal
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, said that there were no up-to-date
directories on real estate business in the country.
He said that an up-to-date database on business in real
estate sector would help to attract more FDI into the country.
“Lack of information on property transactions has made
Nigeria’s property market less attractive to foreign investors,’’ he said.
He said that even embassies in the country ought to have
current information on property market in Nigeria to help woo foreign
investors.
Olateju said that information about any sector was
sacrosanct to the inflow of FDI to that sector.
He, however, said that Nigeria was one of the few countries
in the world where property market was vibrant during the last global
recession.
Olateju also said that information of investment
opportunities in the country was crucial to growing Nigeria’s economy and also
to check the business threats posed by some religious groups.
“Accurate information will educate foreign investors that it
is very safe to still do business in Nigeria.
“Many foreign investors still think it is impossible to do
business in Nigeria due to her current security issues, “ he said.
The don urged stakeholders in the sector to come together
and produce a database on their activities.
“Yes, inputs from the government are required; we don’t need
to wait for them because they do not have all the required information, “he
said.
Credit to Nigeria’s private sector rose to N83.26 trillion in June 2026 from N81.04 trillion in May, signifying a positive balance of N2.22 trillion month-on-month.
Year-on-year, the figure represents a nine per cent increase compared with the N76.13 trillion recorded in June 2025. The latest figures come as the CBN continues to balance efforts to control inflation with the need to support economic growth and expand credit to businesses.
The CBN data shows that credit to Nigeria’s private sector increased by approximately 2.74 per cent month-on-month between May and June 2026. Also, the CBN data noted that credit to the government fell slightly to N40.03 trillion from N40.38 trillion. Other assets, net, dropped to N10.76 trillion from N12.63 trillion.
The credit surge signifies sustained growth in lending to businesses and other private-sector borrowers during the month. The rise in private sector credit was recorded alongside an increase in net domestic credit, despite declines in credit to government and other assets.
Further analysis of the report says that compared with June 2025, private sector credit rose by about N7.13 trillion yea-on-year but net domestic credit increased by approximately N1.87 trillion during the month.
The CBN’s relatively tight monetary policy stance notwithstanding, more banks still loaded funds to the private sector within the period. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) held its 306th meeting on July 20 and 21.
The Committee reviewed recent developments in the global and domestic economies, assessed emerging risks to the outlook and considered their implications for monetary policy and retained all rates.
The Committee decided to retain the Monetary Policy Rate at 26.5 per cent; the Standing Facilities Corridor around the MPR at +50/-450 basis points and retain the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) for Deposit Money Banks at 45.00 per cent, Merchant Banks at 16.00 per cent, and non-TSA public sector deposits at 75.00 per cent.
The MPC decision means that credit extension in the private sector will likely continue to rise because of rising confidence in the sector and calls by stakeholders for banks to invest in the private scetor instead of government securities.
