World Bank approves Nigeria’s $1.5 billion loan request

The World Bank has granted approval to Nigeria’s $1.5 billion loan application.

The Bretton Woods Institution made the announcement on Tuesday in a statement noting that the facility is a five-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) that will last from 2021 to 2024.

“This Country Partnership Framework will guide our engagement for the next 5 years in supporting the Government of Nigeria’s strategic priorities by taking a phased and adaptive approach,” World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri said.

The bank’s Board of Directors okayed the $1.5 billion request for the funding of two projects, which are; Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus – Program for Results (Nigeria CARES) and the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Program for Results (SFTAS).

The partnership will target four areas of engagement which will promote human capital development by improving access to basic education, clean water and sanitation services ; improving primary healthcare; and increasing the coverage and effectiveness of social assistance programs.

Promoting jobs and economic transformation and diversification by supporting measures to unlock private investment and job creation and increasing access to reliable and sustainable power for households and firms.

The CPF will also focus on boosting digital infrastructure, and developing economic corridors and smart cities, to provide Nigerians with improved livelihoods.

Strengthening the foundations of the public sector by improving public financial management and strengthening the social contract between citizens and government through improved fiscal and debt management.

World Bank in the statement added that Nigeria is at a critical juncture, hence the approval of the loan.

“With the sharp fall in oil prices as a result of COVID-19, the economy is projected to contract by over 4% in 2020, plunging the country into its deepest recession since the 1980s. Government revenues could fall by more than 15 billion dollars this year, and the crisis will push an additional 5million Nigerians into poverty in 2020,” the statement read in part.

The World Bank noted that the facility was prepared jointly with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

This CPF proposes a collaborative approach of how resources across the entire Bank Group can best support the Government’s effort to achieve its goal to lift 100 million citizens out of poverty.

“The Country Partnership Framework leverages the World Bank Group to enable business growth that is inclusive and sustainable,” IFC Director for Southern Africa and Nigeria, Kevin Njiraini also said.