The World Bank Group says it is helping mobilise up to $5.79 billion in private-sector financing for Nigeria in the 2026 fiscal year to support investments in digital infrastructure, agriculture and small businesses.
Gatekeeepers News reports that the global financial institution disclosed this in a report published on Sunday, October 11, 2026, titled Unlocking $5.79 Billion in Private Financing: The World Bank Group Is Leading the Charge for Private Capital Mobilization in Nigeria.
According to the report, the financing strategy combines policy reforms, investment projects, commercial lending and guarantees to attract private investors and address infrastructure and funding gaps in the country.
The World Bank said reforms introduced since mid-2023 to improve foreign exchange management, strengthen public finances and reform fuel subsidies had helped create more predictable conditions for investment.
It added that further reforms would focus on developing capital markets, expanding digital trade, encouraging private participation in the electricity sector and improving competitiveness.
One of the major initiatives is the Fostering Inclusive Finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria (FINCLUDE) programme, which is expected to mobilise nearly $1.89 billion in private financing for more than 250,000 businesses.
The programme is backed by a $500 million financing package from the World Bank’s lending institutions and is expected to support about 850,000 direct and indirect jobs. About 30 per cent of the financing is targeted at women-led businesses.
In the telecommunications sector, the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE) project could attract up to $1.1 billion in private investment by 2030 to develop a nationwide open-access fibre-optic network.
The first round of investor selection is expected to mobilise at least $156 million in private equity.
The project aims to extend affordable broadband access to an additional 58 million people, increasing coverage from 92 million in 2025 to 150 million by 2030. It is also expected to connect 38,800 public schools, 16,900 health facilities and 3,400 local government offices.
In agriculture, the World Bank’s Agricultural Value Chains for Growth (AGROW) project targets one million smallholder farmers, including women and young people.
The initiative is expected to attract approximately $220 million from agribusiness firms and another $22 million from certified seed producers to strengthen agricultural productivity and improve access to markets.
The report also highlighted private financing mobilised for major industrial investments. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, helped mobilise $1.02 billion for Dangote Industries Limited through refinancing involving development institutions and commercial lenders.
It also mobilised $282.5 million for Indorama Fertiliser through syndicated financing. The two projects have a combined annual production capacity of 6.8 million metric tonnes and are expected to improve fertiliser access for more than 10 million smallholder farmers.
In the telecommunications industry, the IFC served as an anchor investor in a $1.2 billion bond issuance by IHS Towers, helping attract more than $1.1 billion from private investors.
The World Bank Group said its approach involves using policy reforms to improve the investment climate, structuring viable projects, providing financing and guarantees, and attracting commercial lenders and institutional investors.
It said the strategy was intended to use public resources to draw in larger pools of private capital, expand infrastructure, improve productivity and create employment opportunities across Nigeria.
