Nigeria, Aug. 7 -- The numbers don't lie - but sometimes, they slap hard.

In Q1 2025, Nigeria recorded over $5.6 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Lagos took the lion's share. Abuja grabbed the rest. The South-East? Zilch. Not a dime. Not even pocket change.

Let that sink in.

This isn't just another bad quarter. This is a cold-blooded reminder that the region once dubbed Nigeria's industrial nerve centre is fast becoming an investment desert.

Where Are The Tigers?

In the 1980s and '90s, towns like Nnewi and Aba had the swagger of mini-Shenzhens. Nnewi earned the nickname "Japan of Africa" for churning out spare parts and assembling motorcycles with the precision of a Swiss watch. Aba's Made-in-Aba market fed an entire ecosy...