Nigeria’s debt to the World Bank may hit as high as $9.65 billion by December 2025, according to recent reporting.
Data obtained from the Bank’s publicly available records show that over the two-year period between June 2023 and August 2025, Nigeria secured fresh loan approvals amounting to $8.40 billion (equivalent to N12.88 trillion). These loans span 15 projects covering sectors including energy, education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and governance.
According to the report, the total may rise to “as much as $9.65 billion (N14.82 trillion)” — once additional loans and grants expected before the end of 2025 are included. The forecast cited roughly $1.25 billion in additional concessional facility approvals from the Bank’s concessional arm (International Development Association — IDA), plus an estimated $10.5 million in grants.
As of March 31, 2025, data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) indicate that Nigeria’s total exposure to the World Bank stood at $18.23 billion, up from $17.81 billion in December 2024 — with approximately $16.99 billion owed to the IDA and $1.24 billion to the Bank’s non-concessional lending arm (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — IBRD).
The increasing reliance on concessional financing and multilateral loans underscores Nigeria’s deepening dependence on external borrowing to fund critical development needs — even as concerns grow over long-term debt sustainability.
