The Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, has reported that nine million of the country’s poorest households received direct cash transfers under reforms supported by the World Bank Group.
This comes as Nigeria’s debt to the International Development Association (IDA) rose to $18.7 billion as of December 31, 2025, marking a $1.9 billion increase from the previous year. The growth represents an 11.3 per cent year-on-year rise, making Nigeria the third-largest borrower in the IDA portfolio, following Bangladesh ($23.0 billion) and Pakistan ($19.4 billion).
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, revealed these figures while delivering a keynote address at the IDA20 Retrospective Launch. He highlighted that reforms focused on protecting the most vulnerable Nigerians.
Edun explained that through digital ID integration, over 12 million Nigerians were enrolled, nearly 60 per cent of whom are women, ensuring that cash transfers reached the intended households. He added that secure identification helps reduce errors, curb leakages, improve efficiency, and build trust.
The IDA20 programme, the 20th replenishment of the International Development Association, mobilised $97.4 billion in concessional financing to support the world’s poorest countries, including Nigeria, in addressing poverty, fragility, climate change, and global economic shocks.
Reflecting on the period of the programme’s launch, Edun noted that the world was grappling with pandemic aftershocks, supply chain disruptions, and rising food insecurity. He highlighted Nigeria’s bold reforms during this period, including exchange rate unification, fuel subsidy removal, and ending deficit monetisation.
Edun described Nigeria’s relationship with the IDA as unique, stating that the country is both a recipient and a contributing donor. He said IDA20 demonstrated that pooled concessional finance aligned with national priorities delivers better results, reduces fragmentation, strengthens coherence, and supports responsible reforms.
