By Adeola Badru
The Oyo State House of Assembly has approved a fresh N100 billion loan for Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to finance infrastructure projects, alongside a separate N300 billion facility to refinance an existing contractors’ loan, in a financial arrangement involving a combined N400 billion.
The approval, granted following a request by the governor during plenary on Wednesday, will enable the state government to obtain the new loan from United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and transfer its existing N300 billion contractors’ finance facility from Access Bank to the same lender.
The decision came as infrastructure financing and the management of public debt remain important issues in the state’s fiscal policy, with the administration seeking additional funds to complete ongoing projects while reducing the interest rate on its existing contractors’ financing obligations.
In his letter to the Assembly, addressed to the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, Makinde sought legislative approval for the two financing arrangements, which have separate purposes and financial implications for the state.
While the N100 billion facility is intended to provide fresh funding for critical infrastructure projects and accelerate the completion of ongoing developments, the N300 billion component is a refinancing arrangement rather than an additional N300 billion in fresh borrowing.
Under the proposed refinancing terms, the existing contractors’ facility obtained from Access Bank at an interest rate of 26 per cent will be transferred to UBA at 22 per cent, representing a reduction of four percentage points.
The reduction is expected to lower the interest rate attached to the existing facility, although the actual financial savings will depend on the outstanding balance, repayment schedule and other applicable terms.
The separate N100 billion loan, however, will also attract an interest rate of 22 per cent, subject to review in line with prevailing money market conditions.
The fresh facility has a repayment tenor of 48 months, with a management fee of 0.25 per cent per annum and an advisory fee of 0.5 per cent annually, both calculated on the outstanding balance.
The terms also provided for a three-month moratorium on the repayment of principal and interest. Interest accruing during the moratorium will not be waived but will instead be repaid alongside the fourth, fifth and sixth instalments of the loan.
The repayment structure means that the state’s obligations will extend beyond the principal borrowed, with interest charges and applicable fees forming part of the overall cost of the facility.
The provision allowing the interest rate to be reviewed in line with market conditions also means that the final cost could depend on how the agreed rate is applied over the repayment period.
During deliberations, the Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Abiodun Fadeyi, joined other lawmakers, including Adebayo Babajide Gabriel, Olorunpoto Cephas Rahman and Sunkanmi Babalola, in defending continued infrastructure investment as necessary for economic growth and improved public service delivery.
The lawmakers cited the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Oyo town, the Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road and the Ido-Eruwa Road among the projects whose timely completion, they argued, could deliver wider economic benefits to the state.
They maintained that sustained investment in infrastructure would improve connectivity, create employment opportunities, stimulate commercial activities and ease the movement of people and goods across different parts of Oyo State.
According to the arguments advanced during the debate, completing ongoing projects would also ensure that funds already committed to construction and other development initiatives translate into tangible benefits for residents rather than leaving projects unfinished despite substantial public expenditure.
The lawmakers stressed that infrastructure development should be assessed not only by the amount of money committed but also by the practical benefits delivered to communities, businesses and users of public facilities.
The LAUTECH Teaching Hospital project, for instance, was cited in the context of healthcare infrastructure, while the circular road and Ido-Eruwa Road were referenced for their potential contribution to transport connectivity and commercial activity.
The approval, therefore, gave the Makinde administration the legislative backing to proceed with the proposed financing arrangements, with the fresh N100 billion intended to support infrastructure delivery and the N300 billion refinancing designed to secure a lower interest rate on an existing obligation.
However, the two components carried different implications for the state’s finances. The N100 billion loan will create a new borrowing obligation, while the N300 billion refinancing will restructure an existing facility rather than automatically add the same amount to the state’s fresh debt.
Although the reduction from 26 per cent to 22 per cent is expected to ease the cost of the existing contractors’ facility, the new loan’s interest rate, repayment period, management fee, advisory fee and moratorium provisions will determine the total cost of the additional borrowing.
Meanwhile, the approval also placed renewed importance on the implementation of the projects for which the new funds are intended, as well as the government’s ability to meet repayment obligations while sustaining spending on other public services.
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