90% of CEOs expect Nigeria’s economy to improve in 2026 – PwC

90% of Nigerian Chief Executive Officers are expecting that the country’s economy will improve further over the next 12 months, a PwC report has said.

This was disclosed at the PwC Nigeria and BusinessDay event where they convened executives to examine Nigeria’s 2026 budget and economic outlook.

Opening the session, Sam Abu, Country Senior Partner, PwC Nigeria, welcomed participants and launched the Nigerian CEO Survey findings.

“Nigeria has achieved improved macroeconomic stability, reflecting the impact of disciplined monetary and foreign-exchange reforms,” he said.

“Stability, however, is not the end goal. CEOs today are looking at the world through two lenses: a microscope for near-term threats such as geopolitical tensions and cyber threats, and a telescope for long-term opportunities in strategic reinvention, technology, data, and AI.

“Our CEO Survey shows optimism is rising: 90% of Nigerian CEOs expect the economy to improve over the next 12 months, and 56% are very or extremely confident in their organisation’s revenue growth, compared with 30% globally. Success in 2026 will depend on how businesses convert stability and confidence into productivity and sustainable growth.”

On the broader development context, Frank Aigbogun, Publisher of BusinessDay, highlighted the role of business leadership in supporting long-term development.

He noted that Nigeria can fund only a fraction of the infrastructure required for growth and emphasised that strengthening tax compliance and constructive civic engagement is essential, with business leaders playing an important role in supporting sustainable public investment.

Discussions also reflected shifts across key sectors. Tony Attah highlighted the transformation underway in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He noted that the transfer of assets from international oil companies to Nigerian operators signals a significant change in ownership patterns and underscores the growing role of indigenous firms in driving investment and value creation.

The session brought together CEOs, C-suite leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to examine how Nigeria’s improving macroeconomic stability can be translated into sustainable growth in 2026.

Panellists at the roundtable included Tony Attah, Managing Director and CEO, Renaissance Africa Energy Company; Folake Ogundipe, Interim Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc; Danladi Verheijen, Managing Partner and Co-founder, Verod Capital; Wole Abu, Managing Director, West Africa, Equinix; and Sam Abu, Regional Senior Partner, West Market Area, PwC Nigeria.

The roundtable was themed: “Nigeria’s Economic Outlook 2026: The Executive Playbook for Growth, Resilience, and Efficiency.”

The session drew on insights from PwC’s West Africa Economic Outlook 2026 and Nigeria’s 2026 Budget and Fiscal Strategy Insights, both released on the day, alongside the formal launch of Nigeria’s findings from PwC’s 29th Annual Global CEO Survey.

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