The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting unveiled a game-changing development on Monday.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, announced that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has successfully secured a $1.5 billion zero-interest loan from the World Bank.
Mr. Edun emphasized that the FEC had approved Nigeria’s application for financing from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), which is renowned for its virtually free or zero-interest lending arm.
He praised the country’s commitment to making macro-economic adjustments and taking tough decisions to restore economic balance, earning the support of multilateral development banks and paving the way for this substantial loan.
Furthermore, the FEC also approved an additional $80 million in financing from the African Development Bank for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) project.
This initiative aims to empower Nigerian youths in the knowledge economy sector through technology and communications, providing them with opportunities for employment and training.
This development underscores Nigeria’s determination to harness the potential of its burgeoning technology sector, which is becoming an increasingly significant component of the national economy.
In other FEC decisions, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, confirmed that the agreement between labor and the government, approved during the October 2 meeting, has received the necessary presidential endorsement.
This approval is expected to enhance industrial harmony in the country and set a 30-day timeline for the agreement’s implementation.
