Federal government has secured a substantial $1.95 billion loan from the World Bank within the initial four months of President Bola Tinubu’s tenure.

Bola Tinubu

This is coming amidst rising public concern over the nation’s increasing debt profile.

These funds are earmarked for pivotal sectors including education ($700 million), power ($750 million), and women empowerment ($500 million).

The announcement of this borrowing has been met with skepticism by a populace weary of the nation’s long-standing issues such as infrastructure decay and escalating unemployment. While some citizens acknowledge the government’s constrained resources amidst a burgeoning population, there’s a prevailing sentiment that previous loans have not been utilized effectively or transparently.

BusinessDay reported that Emeka Nwani, a Nigerian in his 30s expressed his perplexity over the government’s use of borrowed funds, pointing to the persistent issues with electricity supply as an example.

Similarly, Femi Adelana, a business analyst, voiced concern over the apparent discrepancy between the budget allocations, loans, and the number of children out of school, as reported by a 2022 UNESCO study.

Experts consulted by BusinessDay agree that borrowing isn’t inherently detrimental, provided the funds are allocated to infrastructure projects that significantly improve citizens’ lives and drive economic returns. However, they pointed out that this ideal scenario hasn’t been Nigeria’s reality so far.

Official data reveals that as of June 2023, the federal government had an outstanding external debt of $38.8 billion.

The newly acquired loans include $750 million for power projects, aimed at addressing Nigeria’s significant electricity access deficit.

The World Bank highlighted that approximately 90 million Nigerians (45% of the population) lack access to the grid, contributing to the global electricity access deficit significantly.

Furthermore, the World Bank has approved a $500 million loan for women empowerment, scaling up a program initiated in 2018 with initial financing of $100 million.

This move is designed to support the Nigerian government’s efforts in improving the livelihoods of women across the country.

In a significant push towards education, a $700 million loan was approved to enhance educational and empowerment opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria, a demographic significantly affected by the high number of out-of-school children and the insecurity surrounding educational institutions in recent years.

Despite these seemingly positive initiatives, the public remains cautious, with many expressing concern over the transparency and effectiveness of the funds utilization.

As Nigeria navigates through these challenging economic times, the spotlight will inevitably remain on the government’s management of these loans and the tangible improvements they bring to the lives of ordinary citizens.

The administration now bears the responsibility to not only utilize these funds judiciously but also to communicate clearly and transparently with its constituents about how these loans are transforming the educational, power, and social sectors for the better.

Credit: BusinessDay