Nigeria’s World Bank debt rises by $2.08bn, now $19.89bn
Nigeria’s debt to the World Bank increased by $2.08bn in one year, reaching $19.89bn as of December 31, 2025. The Debt Management Office data shows this is an 11.7% rise from the $17.81bn owed as of December 31, 2024. Most of the loans are from the International Development Association and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Economists warn that while these loans are largely concessionary, their impact depends on how effectively they are used.
TLDR
- Nigeria’s World Bank debt rose from $17.81bn as of December 31, 2024 to $19.89bn as of December 31, 2025.
- Debt from the International Development Association increased by $1.94bn, while IBRD exposure rose by $141.84m.
- World Bank loans made up 38.36% of Nigeria’s total external debt of $51.86bn at the end of 2025, slightly down from 38.90% in 2024.
- Total external debt rose by $6.08bn, with the World Bank accounting for about 34.3% of that increase.
- Economists like Adewale Abimbola and Dr Aliyu Ilias caution that the benefits of borrowing depend on proper utilisation and warn of fiscal pressures if debt is not managed prudently.
