-
The World Bank is expected to approve two major loans totaling $750m for Nigeria on Tuesday, September 30, 2025
-
$250m health programme to strengthen pandemic preparedness
-
Economists warn rising debt stock threatens Nigeria’s growth
The World Bank is expected to approve two loans totalling $750m for Nigeria on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, according to details published on the institution’s website. The funds are earmarked to support Nigeria’s healthcare security and expand access to climate-resilient digital infrastructure.
The package includes a $500m facility for the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth in Nigeria (BRIDGE) project and a $250m loan for the Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa, Nigeria – Phase II. Both projects are listed in the Bank’s active pipeline and are slated for final board approval this week.
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
Digital Expansion Through BRIDGE
The BRIDGE project, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aims to extend broadband coverage to underserved and remote areas. Estimated at $1.6bn, the scheme will combine the World Bank’s concessional loan with financing from private sector partners.
READ ALSO: Trump Moves to Block FIFA Ban on Israel Ahead of 2026 World Cup
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, described it as Nigeria’s “most ambitious digital infrastructure project in history,” designed to expand fibre optic networks from 35,000km to 125,000km, linking the six geopolitical zones through fibre rings and edge data centres.
Implementation will be overseen by a Special Purpose Vehicle with government holding 51 per cent equity and private investors 49 per cent. Funding commitments have also been secured from the African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and Islamic Development Bank.
The second loan, valued at $250m, will fund Nigeria’s participation in the Health Security Programme – Phase II, a regional initiative to improve detection and response to public health emergencies.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention will coordinate the local component under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance. The programme builds on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting stronger surveillance and emergency response systems.
Mounting Debt Concerns
Despite the potential benefits, experts have raised alarms over Nigeria’s growing debt burden. Data from the Debt Management Office shows Nigeria owes the World Bank $18.23bn as of March 31, 2025 — representing 39.7 per cent of the country’s $45.98bn external debt stock.
Lagos-based economist Adewale Abimbola argued that concessional loans can be beneficial if tied to revenue-generating projects. But development economist Dr Aliyu Ilias warned that Nigeria’s ballooning debt — now at about N149tn and projected to reach N180tn — risks crowding out funds for critical infrastructure, education, and jobs.
“Why are we borrowing more when government revenue is supposedly increasing?” Ilias questioned. “The rising debt service costs are draining funds that should drive growth and reduce poverty.”
Nigeria has received $8.4bn in new World Bank loans since June 2023, covering projects in energy, education, health, and governance. But critics insist accountability and effective deployment remain the ultimate test.
