Nigeria’s Accountant General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, has clarified his recent statement regarding a six-month ultimatum issued to the World Bank over loan disbursement.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Bawa Mokwa, the AGF explained that his comments were misinterpreted by the media. Ogunjimi said he was simply emphasising the need for timely disbursement of funds for ongoing projects, not issuing an ultimatum.
He noted that Nigeria has a strong relationship with the World Bank and that both parties are working to accelerate loan releases.
The clarification came after reports suggested the Federal Government had threatened to suspend cooperation with the World Bank if loans were not disbursed within six months.
The AGF urged the public to disregard the misrepresentation. Development experts have been tracking Nigeria’s external borrowing, which stands at over $40 billion.
The World Bank remains one of the country’s largest development partners, financing infrastructure, health, and education projects.
