President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the World Bank Group’s plan to mobilise up to $5.79 billion in private financing for Nigeria in the 2026 fiscal year, as the Federal Government seeks to attract investment, expand businesses and create jobs....
President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the World Bank Group’s plan to mobilise up to $5.79 billion in private financing for Nigeria in the 2026 fiscal year, as the Federal Government seeks to attract investment, expand businesses and create jobs.
The President said the initiative would support his administration’s economic reforms by strengthening the investment environment and directing more capital towards agriculture, digital infrastructure and business expansion.
In a statement posted on his official X account, Tinubu urged Nigerian and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in the country.
“I welcome the World Bank Group’s work to mobilise up to $5.79 billion in private financing for Nigeria.
This partnership supports our efforts to help businesses expand and attract investment into agriculture and digital infrastructure,” he said.
The World Bank Group disclosed the financing target in a report published on October 11, outlining how policy reforms, investment platforms, commercial financing and risk-sharing arrangements could attract private capital into Nigeria’s economy.
Unlike a conventional government loan, the $5.79 billion target is designed to mobilise private investment through a combination of World Bank-supported programmes, financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and risk-mitigation instruments provided by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
The approach is intended to encourage commercial lenders and investors to finance projects that might otherwise struggle to secure funding because of perceived risks or inadequate infrastructure.
Digital infrastructure, agriculture and small businesses
One of the major components is the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE) project, which aims to expand broadband access through a nationwide open-access fibre-optic network.
The project is expected to attract at least $156 million in private equity in its first investor-selection round, with subsequent financing potentially unlocking up to $1.1 billion in private investment by 2030.
It aims to extend affordable broadband access to an additional 58 million people, increasing coverage from 92 million people in 2025 to 150 million by 2030.
The planned network is also expected to connect public schools, healthcare facilities and local government offices.
In agriculture, the Agricultural Value Chains for Growth (AGROW) project targets one million smallholder farmers by improving access to quality seeds, fertilisers, digital services and markets.
The initiative is expected to mobilise about $220 million from agribusiness firms and another $22 million from certified seed producers, supporting productivity and investment across agricultural value chains.
The World Bank Group is also supporting the Fostering Inclusive Finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria (FINCLUDE) programme, which is designed to expand access to finance for more than 250,000 businesses.
Backed by a $500 million financing package from the World Bank’s lending institutions, the programme is expected to mobilise nearly $1.89 billion in private financing and support about 850,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Thirty per cent of the financing is targeted at women-led businesses.
The IFC has also helped mobilise $1.02 billion for Dangote Industries Limited and $282.5 million for Indorama Fertiliser to support industrial and fertiliser production.
The two projects have a combined production capacity of 6.8 million metric tonnes annually and are expected to improve access to agricultural inputs for more than 10 million smallholder farmers.
Nigeria presents $78.5bn investment pipeline
Tinubu also disclosed that Nigeria had assembled a pipeline of 65 bankable projects requiring a combined $78.5 billion in investment.
The projects were presented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Olayemi Cardoso at the Nigeria Investors Forum on the sidelines of the 2026 International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.
According to the Federal Ministry of Finance’s Projects Nigeria platform, the opportunities span five broad sectors: oil, gas and power; transport and maritime infrastructure; industry, manufacturing and mining; agriculture and agro-processing; and technology, healthcare and urban services.
The projects have an estimated potential to generate 366,763 jobs, according to the investment platform.
The $78.5 billion project pipeline is separate from the World Bank Group’s $5.79 billion private-financing mobilisation target, although both initiatives reflect efforts to attract more private capital into Nigeria.
Tinubu invited investors to examine the projects and engage directly with their sponsors through the Projects Nigeria platform.
“Our administration will work with you to resolve obstacles and move viable investments into execution, creating jobs and expanding opportunities for our people,” he said.
The President said the government would work with investors to address barriers to implementation and turn viable proposals into operating businesses and infrastructure projects.
Investors can explore the opportunities at Projects Nigeria.