The Digest:
Nigeria's total public debt stood at N159.28 trillion as of December 31, 2025, translating to an average debt burden of about N724,000 per citizen, according to Daily Trust analysis of DMO data. Domestic debt accounts for 53.27% at N84.85 trillion, while external debt is N74.43 trillion. The figures exclude recently approved N8.3 trillion borrowing from the UAE and UK Export Finance. A financial expert warned that unborn generations will also pay the debt.
Key Points:
- Debt rose by N5.98 trillion (3.9%) quarter-on-quarter.
- The Federal Government holds N80.49 trillion of domestic debt.
- In dollar terms, total debt rose from $103.94bn to $110.97bn.
- The debt-to-GDP ratio is projected at 34.68% by the end of 2026.
- An expert says higher debt stock means higher servicing costs funded by taxes.
