The IMF has upgraded Nigeria’s 2025 growth forecast to 3.9% while pledging tougher measures to trace illicit financial flows draining the nation’s revenue.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded Nigeria’s 2025 economic growth forecast to 3.9 per cent, citing stronger domestic fundamentals, improving investor confidence, and resilience in oil output.
The announcement came as IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, decried the rising impact of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) from Nigeria, which she said continue to undermine governance, drain public resources, and hinder development.
Speaking at the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, Georgieva promised renewed focus on tracing such flows to “plug fiscal leakages” and strengthen financial transparency.
She warned that “digital money and criminal activities can now be funded without being traced,” calling for robust collaboration among governments and international institutions.
The IMF also said its anti-money laundering framework would now feature prominently in its annual country reviews, ensuring routine assessments of financial integrity risks.
Meanwhile, the Fund downgraded global growth to 2.8 per cent for 2025 but projected Sub-Saharan Africa’s growth at 4.1 per cent, driven by macroeconomic reforms in key economies.
The IMF urged Nigeria to maintain credible fiscal and monetary policies to sustain investor confidence and stabilize inflation.
**Headline Suggestions:**
* *, Targets Illicit Financial Flows*
* *Nigeria’s Economy to Grow 3.9% in 2025 as IMF Vows Crackdown on Dirty Money*
* *IMF Raises Nigeria’s Outlook, Warns Against Fiscal Leakages from Illicit Funds*