Personal loans obtained by Nigerians rose to an estimated N2.06tn in May 2026, as consumer credit continued to expand amid persistent cost pressures and weak consumer spending, according to the latest Economic Report of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The figure, calculated from data contained in the CBN’s May 2026 Economic Report, represents about 64.78 per cent of the N3.18tn total consumer credit outstanding during the month. The report covers developments in the real, fiscal, financial and external sectors of the economy.
The apex bank said consumer credit increased by 1.60 per cent from N3.13tn in April to N3.18tn in May, indicating that Nigerians borrowed an additional N50bn within one month.
It said, “Consumer credit outstanding increased by 1.60 per cent to N3.18tn from N3.13tn in the preceding month, driven by growth in personal and retail loans, which rose by 1.98 and 0.90 per cent, respectively.”
The CBN added, “Personal loans remained the dominant component of consumer credit, accounting for 64.78 per cent, while retail loans constituted 35.22 per cent.”
Based on the proportions reported by the apex bank, personal loans stood at approximately N2.06tn at the end of May, while retail loans amounted to about N1.12tn.
The 1.98 per cent month-on-month increase in personal loans suggests that the balance rose by roughly N40bn during the period. Retail loans, which include credit tied more directly to the purchase of goods and services, recorded a slower increase of 0.90 per cent.
The figures show that personal borrowing remained the main driver of Nigeria’s consumer-credit market, accounting for nearly two-thirds of outstanding credit.
The increase came against a challenging operating environment for households and businesses. The CBN reported that economic activity remained weak in May, with its composite Purchasing Managers’ Index at 49.60 points, slightly higher than 49.40 points in April but still below the 50-point threshold separating expansion from contraction.
According to the bank, the contraction reflected subdued demand, declining new orders and elevated production costs. It also identified weak consumer spending and higher energy-related costs as pressures on the industry and services sectors.
Inflation also remained elevated during the period. Headline inflation increased to 15.93 per cent in May from 15.69 per cent in April, which the CBN attributed to persistent cost pressures and higher energy prices. However, month-on-month inflation slowed to 1.75 per cent from 2.13 per cent.
The combination of rising consumer credit and weak consumer spending suggests that households were increasingly accessing credit at a time when living and operating costs remained under pressure.
A recent report Enhancing Financial Inclusion & Advancement noted that four in every 10 Nigerians borrowing from formal financial institutions now take loans mainly for consumption and coping needs, as rising financial pressures increasingly push credit away from productive activities.
The 2026 Access to Financial Services in Nigeria Survey revealed that 40.8 per cent of formal borrowers used loans for coping and consumption, up sharply from 31.7 per cent in 2023.
The 9.1 percentage-point increase made coping and consumption the largest purpose of formal credit, overtaking productive enterprise borrowing, which fell from 40.2 per cent to 34.3 per cent during the same period.
Borrowing for household assets also declined from 25.2 per cent to 23.4 per cent. The report warned, “Coping/consumption purposes rose from 31.7 per cent to 40.8 per cent; productive purpose fell from 40.2 per cent to 34.3 per cent. We need to ensure that credit builds productive capacity and does not produce distress.”
Formal credit use increased from six per cent of adults in 2023 to 10 per cent in 2026, with about 11.9 million Nigerians borrowing from regulated providers. When informal sources were included, 36 per cent of adults had access to some form of credit.
Credit use among informally employed Nigerians tripled from five per cent to 15 per cent, while borrowing among people aged 18 to 35 rose from four per cent to 10 per cent. Business owners recorded an increase from four per cent to 10 per cent, while farmers rose from two per cent to six per cent.
However, the report found significant distress among borrowers. About 45.8 per cent of formal-credit users reported some or serious repayment stress, while 83.8 per cent experienced ongoing financial stress.
(Punch)
