The Federal Government is seeking a fresh $500m loan from the World Bank to establish an infrastructure financing platform, with the proposed approval scheduled for 25 May, 2027, just four days before the inauguration of Nigeria’s next president.
The proposed borrowing comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising questions about the timing of fresh financial commitments and their implications for the incoming administration.
According to the World Bank’s Initial Project Information Document, obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday, the facility forms part of a broader $3.85bn infrastructure financing initiative designed to attract private investment into critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The document, prepared and updated on 4 November, 2026, identifies the initiative as the Nigeria Infrastructure Financing and De-Risking Platform for Growth and Jobs, otherwise known as INFRAGROW.
The Federal Ministry of Finance is listed as the borrower, while the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority will serve as the implementing agency.
The bank has scheduled the project’s technical design review for 21 January, 2027, while its estimated approval date is 25 May, 2027.
Nigeria’s presidential inauguration is constitutionally scheduled for 29 May, 2027, following the expiration of the current four-year presidential term.
