The World Bank is set to approve two major loans totalling $750 million for Nigeria on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. The funding will support two strategic initiatives aimed at boosting digital infrastructure and strengthening health security across the country.
The first loan, worth $500 million, will fund the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth in Nigeria (BRIDGE) project. Led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the BRIDGE initiative is Nigeria’s most ambitious digital rollout to date. It aims to expand broadband access in underserved areas through a $1.6 billion plan that includes laying over 125,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable, creating national fibre rings, city-level loops, regional networks, and edge data centres. A Special Purpose Vehicle will oversee the rollout, with the Federal Government holding a 51% equity stake.
The second loan, valued at $250 million, will support Phase II of the Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa. Managed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the initiative seeks to improve Nigeria’s capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to pandemics and public health emergencies. It builds on lessons learned from COVID-19 and other outbreaks, with a focus on regional surveillance and emergency response systems.
While the loans are expected to drive development in critical sectors, concerns persist over Nigeria’s rising debt profile, which now stands at approximately ₦149 trillion. Economists remain divided, with some warning of fiscal strain and others arguing that concessional loans tied to revenue-generating projects could be beneficial if managed transparently.
