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President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking the speedy approval of N6.1trn and €100m for his administration’s proposed 2022 – 2024 borrowing plan.
Tinubu’s request was read during Wednesday’s plenary session by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, notifying his colleagues that the request was anchored on an approval given by the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration after a Federal Executive Council meeting early in May 2023.
The President said the borrowing will breach the financing gap which will be applied to key infrastructure projects including power, railway, and health among others.
Tinubu letter reads: “The senate may wish to note that the past administration approved the 2022 – 2024 borrowing plan at the federal executive council which was held on the 15th day of May 2023.
“The projects cut across all sectors with specific emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, security and employment as well as financial management reforms, among others.
“The total facility of the projects and programmes under the borrowing plan is 7,864,508,559 dollars and then in Euro, 100 million euros respectively.
“The Senate is invited to note that following the removal of fuel subsidy and its impact on the economy in the country, the African Development Bank (AFDB) and the World Bank Group (WBG) have indicated interest in assisting the country in mitigating the economic shores and recent reforms with a sum of $1 billion and $2 billion respectively. In addition the Federal Executive Council approved the 2022-2024 external borrowing plan.
“Consequently, the required approval is for 7,864,508,559 dollars and in terms of euros, 1000 million euros.
“I would like to underscore the fact that the projects and programmes borrowing plans were selected based on positive technical economic evaluations as well as the expected contribution to the social economic development of the country, including employment generation, skills acquisitions, supporting the emergence of more entrepreneurs, poverty reduction and food security to improve the livelihood of an average Nigerian.
“The projects and programmes will be implemented in all the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory.”
It added:”Given the present economic realities facing the country, it has become imperative that the resolve to using external borrowing to breach the financing gap which will be applied to key infrastructure projects including power, railway, and health among others.
“Given the nature of these facilities and the need to consolidate the country to normalcy, it has become exigent to request the senate consideration and approval of the 2022- 2024 external borrowing plan to enable the government to deliver its responsibilities to Nigerians through expeditious disbursement and efficient projects implementation.”
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