Nigeria has just secured fresh World Bank loans amounting to $1.575 billion to support development programmes in the country.

The first $1.25 billion is to expand energy access to 32 million Nigerians, deliver broadband connectivity to 58 million people, improve health and nutrition services for 40 million people, and support 9.5 million farmers through a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) that spans 2026 to 2032.

The second $500 million loan will support Nigeria’s agricultural value chain development under the Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) Project.

These facilities are coming amid general concerns over Nigeria’s rising public debt which according to the Debt Management Office (DMO) stands at N159.28 trillion as at December 31 2025.

Although the government has consistently said its debt is still sustainable and within the debt to GDP threshold, both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have at some points have cautioned the government to watch how the debt is rising.

On the latest development, the World Bank in a statement said it has also approved the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (NAIJA) Development Policy Financing (DPF) operation, which supports Nigeria’s transition toward a more inclusive growth model that spurs growth and creates jobs.

It said building on the macroeconomic gains achieved through recent reforms, including stronger growth, higher revenues, increased reserves, and improved investor confidence, the CPF supports Nigeria’s efforts to create more and better jobs by accelerating private sector growth, with a focus on mobilizing private investment to complement public resources.

“It aims to expand energy access to 32 million Nigerians, deliver broadband connectivity to 58 million people, improve health and nutrition services for 40 million people, and support 9.5 million farmers, while strengthening human capital, boosting agricultural productivity, and expanding access to energy and digital infrastructure” the Bank said in a statement..

“Our new Country Partnership Framework provides the strategy for how the World Bank Group will support Nigeria over the coming years, with a strong focus on helping to create more and better jobs, particularly by enabling private sector-led growth,” said World Bank Country Director for Nigeria,

Mathew Verghis.

On the Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) Project, the World Bank Country Director said, “AGROW is a transformative step for Nigeria’s agriculture, empowering smallholder farmers, unlocking private sector–led growth, and strengthening food security in a sustainable way,” “This project is expected to benefit up to one million smallholder farmers, mobilize significant private investment and increase yields across targeted crops. At the same time, it will help to ensure improved food and nutrition security and greater resilience to climate shocks among farmers in the participating states across Nigeria.”.

He said the six‑year project (2026–2032) is expected to raise an additional $220 million from private agribusiness investment. “It aligns with Nigeria’s priority to enhance productivity, job creation and value in the agriculture sector and is a central component in Nigeria of the World Bank’s Agriconnect initiative to transform small-holder farming from subsistence into a commercially successful agribusiness”, he said.