The World Bank has approved two loans totaling $750 million for Nigeria, scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2025, according to documents released on its official website. The funding aims to strengthen health security and expand climate-resilient digital infrastructure across the country.
The package consists of $500 million for the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth in Nigeria (BRIDGE) project and $250 million under the Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa, Nigeria – Phase II.
Digital Infrastructure (BRIDGE Project)
Led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, BRIDGE is designed to improve broadband access in underserved communities. With a projected cost of $1.6 billion, the initiative will be funded through a mix of concessional loans and private investment.
Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Dr. Bosun Tijani, described the program as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s digital transformation. In August, while unveiling the technical design for a $2 billion fibre-optic expansion plan, Tijani highlighted its ambition as one of Nigeria’s most transformative digital infrastructure projects.
The project will expand Nigeria’s fibre network from 35,000 km to over 125,000 km, establishing seven national fibre rings, 37 city-level loops, 77 regional networks, and multiple edge data centers. Implementation will be managed via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in which the Federal Government will hold a 51% equity stake.
Health Security Programmer
The second loan facility, valued at $250 million, will be managed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance. Its focus is to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond effectively to pandemics and public health emergencies.
According to the World Bank, the initiative will strengthen regional surveillance and emergency response systems across West and Central Africa, building on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent health crises.
Broader Context
Nigeria has increasingly relied on World Bank support. Between June 2023 and August 2025, the country secured $8.4 billion in new loans, covering 15 projects spanning health, energy, education, governance, and rural development.
Experts remain divided on the implications of this borrowing. Lagos-based analyst Adewale Abimbola argued that loans tied to viable, revenue-generating projects can be beneficial if accountability is ensured. However, development economist Dr. Aliyu Ilias, CEO of CSA Advisory, warned that Nigeria’s rising debt is unsustainable.
He noted that Nigeria’s debt stock increased from ₦87 trillion under former President Muhammadu Buhari to about ₦149 trillion currently, with projections suggesting it could reach ₦180 trillion. Despite higher revenues from tax reforms and subsidy removal, Ilias questioned the government’s continued reliance on loans, warning that debt servicing is crowding out funds for essential services and capital investment.
Figures from the Debt Management Office confirm that as of March 31, 2025, Nigeria owes the World Bank $18.23 billion, nearly 40% of its external debt and over 81% of its multilateral debt portfolio.
