Nigeria has emerged as the sixth-largest contributor to global real GDP growth in 2026, underlining its rising relevance in the global economic order, according to new data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF projects that Africa’s largest economy will account for 1.5 per cent of global real GDP growth in 2026, placing Nigeria ahead of several major advanced and emerging economies, including Germany, Brazil and Indonesia.
China is expected to retain its position as the world’s biggest growth driver, contributing 26.6 per cent to global expansion, while India follows closely with 17.0 per cent. The United States ranks third, with a projected contribution of 9.9 per cent.
Combined, China and India are forecast to generate 43.6 per cent of total global economic growth in 2026, reinforcing Asia’s central role in the world economy.
Other countries listed in the IMF’s top 10 contributors include Indonesia (3.8 per cent), Türkiye (2.2 per cent), Saudi Arabia (1.7 per cent), Vietnam (1.6 per cent), Brazil (1.5 per cent) and Germany (0.9 per cent).
The data further highlights the growing dominance of the Asia-Pacific region, which is expected to account for nearly half of global economic growth, driven by sustained momentum across emerging and industrialising economies.
