The World Bank Group has outlined investment initiatives worth up to $5.79 billion across Nigeria’s key economic sectors, with a small-business financing programme projected to support 850,000 direct and indirect jobs.
According to The Next Edition, the employment projection is tied to the Fostering Inclusive Finance for MSMEs in Nigeria programme, which is expected to mobilise nearly $1.89 billion in private financing and support more than 250,000 micro, small and medium enterprises.
The investment portfolio also covers agriculture, where the World Bank’s Agricultural Value Chains for Growth Project is expected to support approximately one million smallholder farmers. Agribusiness companies are projected to contribute $220 million, while certified seed producers could provide another $22 million.
The report also highlighted financing arrangements for Dangote Industries Limited and Indorama Fertilizer to strengthen domestic fertiliser production. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) helped mobilise $1.02 billion for Dangote and $282.5 million for Indorama through arrangements involving development institutions and commercial lenders. The investments could improve access to agricultural inputs for more than 10 million smallholder farmers.
In digital infrastructure, the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE) Project is expected to attract up to $1.1 billion in private investment by 2030. The initiative aims to extend affordable broadband access to an additional 58 million Nigerians, increasing coverage from 92 million people in 2025 to approximately 150 million by the end of the decade.
The planned expansion includes connectivity for 38,800 public schools, 16,900 health facilities and 3,400 local government offices. Young people and women are also among the groups expected to benefit from improved digital access.
The World Bank further cited IFC’s participation in a $1.2 billion bond issuance by IHS Towers, which attracted more than $1.1 billion from private investors for telecommunications infrastructure.
In its report, titled Unlocking $5.79 Billion in Private Financing, the institution linked investment opportunities partly to economic reforms introduced in Nigeria since mid-2023, including changes to foreign-exchange management and public finances.
The IFC supports investment structuring and commercial financing, while the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) provides guarantees to help mitigate risks for investors.
The $5.79 billion figure combines private financing already mobilised with anticipated investments across several initiatives. It does not represent a single newly approved loan or grant to the Federal Government.
