World Bank
Nigeria secures $750m World Bank loan for broadband expansion, health security
The World Bank will on Tuesday, 30 September 2025 approve two loans totalling $750 million for Nigeria, targeting health security and a massive digital infrastructure rollout.
The package includes $500m for the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth in Nigeria (BRIDGE) project and $250m for Phase II of the Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa, Nigeria.
The BRIDGE initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is designed to connect millions in underserved areas. With a price tag of $1.6bn, it will be financed through concessional credit and private investment.
Borrowing Debate
Nigeria has secured $8.4bn in World Bank loans between June 2023 and August 2025, spanning health, energy, education, governance and rural development.
But opinions remain divided. Lagos-based analyst Adewale Abimbola argues borrowing is positive “if it’s concessionary and tied to viable, revenue-generating projects.”
By contrast, economist Dr Aliyu Ilias warns of a mounting debt crisis. Nigeria’s public debt has jumped from N87tn under Buhari to N149tn today, with projections of N180tn soon. He asked: “Why are we borrowing more when revenues from tax and subsidy removal have risen? The debt burden is clearly squeezing funding for essential services.”
According to the Debt Management Office, Nigeria owes the World Bank $18.23bn as of March 2025, nearly 40% of the country’s external debt.
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