Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria has outlined its 2026 investment outlook at a well-attended Global Market Outlook event, bringing together industry experts to examine the evolving global financial landscape and its implications for Nigerian investors. The bank's assessment: Nigeria's growth outlook remains cautiously optimistic.
The event, which hosted over 1,200 clients across Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, featured presentations from senior executives including Manpreet Gill, Chief Investment Officer for Africa, Middle East and Europe, and Lanre Olajide, Head of Wealth and Retail Banking for Nigeria.
Three Key Messages for Investors
According to Gill, clients should take away three key messages from the 2026 outlook: stay overweight on equities, continue to generate attractive yields through diversified bonds, and most importantly, diversify both within equities and across asset classes given current valuations and continued uncertainty.
Ernest Adejumo, Head of Wealth Solutions, emphasised the importance of discipline and diversification in an increasingly complex global environment. "While short-term volatility may persist, investors who concentrate on long-term fundamentals, quality assets, and informed, advisory-led portfolio construction are best positioned to navigate uncertainty and seize emerging opportunities," he stated.
Nigeria's Economic Outlook
Nigeria's economic outlook for 2026 remains cautiously optimistic, with GDP growth projections of 4.3 to 4.4 percent. Growth is expected to be driven largely by the services sector, particularly ICT and finance, as well as a potential recovery in the oil sector. Efforts to diversify revenue sources beyond oil continue to gain momentum.
However, challenges persist. High inflation and fiscal pressures remain concerns, while poverty reduction continues to be a priority for policymakers. Key focus areas include stabilising the naira, controlling inflation through effective monetary policy, and improving infrastructure.
Investment Strategy Recommendations
The bank's outlook reinforced a clear message: clarity comes from context, not noise. By understanding the global themes influencing growth, inflation, and interest rates, investors are better equipped to make confident and well-timed decisions.
The approach focuses not on predicting markets but on preparing portfolios through diversification and discipline, aligned with long-term financial goals. For Nigerian investors, this means balancing exposure to local opportunities with international diversification to manage currency and country-specific risks.
What This Means for Wealth Building
For high-net-worth individuals and diaspora Nigerians looking to build or preserve wealth, the outlook suggests a measured approach. The emphasis on quality assets and advisory-led portfolio construction points to the value of working with experienced wealth managers rather than pursuing speculative investments.
Standard Chartered noted its continued optimism about Nigeria's long-term economic potential, emphasising the importance of sustainable reforms, infrastructure development, and regional cooperation in driving growth across Africa.
Source: Punch Newspapers, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria