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Nigeria searches for $7 billion to combat COVID-19 issues
The Nigerian government has drafted several requests to international lenders requesting a total number of $6.9 billion in order to keep their economy afloat as well as continue their battle against the novel Coronavirus.
Although the country has not seen too much of the virus, compared to Europe and the United States at least, the government still decided to impose a 2-week shutdown in order to prevent the spread. Currently, the country has 232 confirmed cases and 5 deaths in total, but more cases are expected in the coming weeks.
Who is Nigeria asking for help?
The Nigerian government has addressed multiple international lenders. These include the International Monetary Fund ($3.4 billion), the World Bank ($2.5 billion) and the African Development Bank ($1 billion).
All of this was announced by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed herself.
However, considering the serious economic implications of the Coronavirus, many Nigerian politicians believe that asking these organizations for a loan is not the right thing to do at the moment.
Criticism has been heard of the Nigerian government for worrying about the economy much more than the pandemic spreading across the country, and only imposing the shutdown just a couple of days ago.
Although it is true that most of the funds requested from these international organizations will be dedicated to keeping the economy alive before the pandemic stops, it needs to be highlighted that Nigeria is still in serious danger of having the virus spread out of control.
Although most commercial states are on lockdown, there are some regions in the country where movement is relatively free.
Why is Nigeria asking for so much?
The next big question is finding out why Nigeria needs so much money and where most of it is going to be spent. It’s quite an easy question to answer. Nigeria is the largest oil producer on the African continent, which means that it is going to dedicate these funds to solidifying that position well into the future.
You see, the COVID-19 didn’t only topple stock prices of large corporations worldwide, it also seriously impacted oil prices, which were already significantly weakened well before the outbreak.
To put this in perspective. The Nigerian government devised a national budget when oil prices were around $59 per barrel. The price is somewhere in the range of $30 per barrel nowadays, and demand keeps on dropping as fewer people drive or use oil-consuming machinery and technology.
Due to this massive change in pricing, the Nigerian government had to adjust by cutting costs during 2020, but that is simply not enough. Having your country’s biggest income effectively be cut more than half is a serious hit to all of the plans created not only for that year but for the future.
Criticism floats up once more
Naturally, whenever a government plan has some kind of issues that could have been avoided, there will always be opposition members or just freelance politicians criticizing these policies. In this case, it’s very hard not to agree with what is being said in most of the cases.
Most of the politicians were advocating a more diverse economy, investments into different industries rather than re-investment into the oil. Tricks that have worked in the past are not necessarily going to work in the future, and considering oil is a finite resource, Nigeria is seriously advised to look into diversification.
And this is not only about Nigeria as well. The largest oil-exporting countries in the world such as Norway, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and even the United States have considered this issue seriously.
But most surprisingly, there are countries that normally don’t have too large of oil production for export that are already deviating away from the commodity, and in that sense, Germany is a perfect example.
What can Nigeria learn from Germany
Naturally, it’s very hard to compare these two economies as Germany is a production powerhouse that has already diversified beyond anything that Nigeria could achieve in the next decade or so, but there are still some nice hints as to what could be changed.
Let’s talk about taboo industries as an example. In this sense, both Nigeria and Germany have quite a lot in common. Banning or discrediting taboo industries such as gambling, for example, is present in both countries, but both of them have seen huge demand for these services.
The difference is seen when we look at the actions taken by both countries. Germany, for example, does not charge any fines to its citizens playing online roulette or any other game of chance. The only fine goes to the company providing this service. In Nigeria, it’s a bit different as the country has only a few companies operating in the country which tend to be untrustworthy in terms of service and tax.
Germany is easily able to pinpoint websites that provide these services and fine them pretty much on a monthly basis. This pretty much acts like a monthly tax which is always fixed. It’s a small loophole, but mutually beneficial nonetheless.
In Nigeria though, the trust in government-approved companies is fading as people switch to unlicensed platforms, thus depriving the authorities of tax and information. It would be much better for the local government to either allow commercialization of gambling or introduce a similar system as in Germany.
Back to the topic – will Nigeria get the funds it is requesting?
There is one thing to consider. Nigeria is a country that has the capacity to repay the debt it is asking the IMF and other organizations for, but the question is whether these organizations will be able to deliver.
There are quite a lot of middle eastern and central Asian countries that have requested the same organizations for financial assistance, therefore some serious budgeting is to be expected.
It’s unlikely for every country to get what they asked for, but some funds could be covered. One real issue that Nigeria could face is a serious deficit in what it asked for. At that point, there will be no other way than asking China for financial assistance, and that is something that Nigeria could simply not afford at this point, considering how much it already owes to China.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has demanded quick and full resolution to the challenges arising from the gas leakage that occurred in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of the State.
The governor has also pledged to upgrade the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bille with a view to addressing the health challenges confronting the community.
Fubara made the pledge on Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt during an enlarged meeting of key stakeholders, comprising representatives of the Federal Government, the state government and leaders of the community.
The meeting was held to review the situation in the community and explore available opportunities to save the people from the adverse impacts of environmental pollution.
Addressing the journalists at the end of the meeting, the governor acknowledged the determination of the Federal Government and its agencies to get to the root cause of the problem in Bille and ensure that it is resolved permanently.
“The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. You’re aware that there is a case of gas leakage somewhere in Bille and the people have been making some requests that the government should come to their rescue to resolve the situation.
“As a state, we have gone to see the situation in the community, not alone but in conjunction with the industry operators and officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. What we are doing today is an enlarged meeting where all the parties are sitting together to look at the cause of the issue and the most possible way to get the problem resolved,” he said.
Fubara described the outcome of the meeting as successful, stressing that more action would be taken in the next couple of weeks to ensure that the issue is fully resolved.
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, who led the Federal Government’s delegation to the meeting, expressed appreciation to the governor for his warm hospitality and efforts to address the challenge in Bille community.
Ekpo explained that contrary to the perception in certain quarters, the Federal Government has not been silent over the “gas seepage” but has been working tirelessly towards finding a sustainable solution.
The minister explained that as soon as the incident was reported, the Federal Government deployed experts to the area to understudy the cause of the problem.
According to him, it was difficult at first to understand the cause of the problem since there were no oil or gas infrastructure within the vicinity of the incident, hence the need to conduct a more detailed investigation.
“The investigation is still going but we decided to do a follow-up visit to the area to talk to the people of Bille Community that we need collaboration on their part so that we would be able to arrive at a lasting solution.
“The safety of the people is paramount. We can understand their anxiety, the worry and the danger that this thing poses within the area, but the Federal Government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the problem. The primary responsibility of government is to take care of the welfare and security of the people and that is exactly why we are here to go and see things for ourselves,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, also explained that as the regulatory agency at the centre of the issue, no effort will be spared in the task of resolving the issue.
Eyesan pledged that the NUPRC and operators in the industry were prepared to address the requests of the impacted people in terms of the provision of potable water and fire trucks to the community.
The Public Relations Officer, Council of Chiefs, Bille Kingdom, Chief Rena Dappa, had during the meeting, presented the challenges facing the community and pleaded for government’s support to save the lives and livelihoods of the people.
President Bola Tinubu has announced the launch of a training programme for 5,000 young Nigerians as meter installers and technicians under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
The President stated that the scheme is aimed at creating jobs, closing the country’s metering gap and improving electricity supply.
The President disclosed this in a statement on his verified X handle yesterday, describing the initiative, tagged “The Power Force,” as part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to expand employment opportunities for young people.
According to Tinubu, the programme will equip participants with practical technical skills and connect them to employment opportunities in Nigeria’s power sector.
“Through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), which I established to close Nigeria’s metering gap, end estimated billing, protect consumers and strengthen the electricity market, we are opening a new pathway for 5,000 young Nigerians to be trained as meter installers and technicians under The Power Force. This programme is about jobs, skills and dignity,” he said.
Tinubu said the training would be open to eligible Nigerians who have completed their secondary school education, with a dedicated quota reserved for members of the National Youth Service Corps.
He noted that expanding electricity metering was critical to improving service delivery and promoting transparency in the power sector.
“When homes and businesses are properly metered, Nigerians can pay for what they actually use. When electricity distribution companies collect revenues more transparently and fairly, they are better able to reduce losses, maintain infrastructure, expand connections and invest in better service.
“This is how we build a power sector that is fairer to consumers, stronger for investors and better able to deliver reliable electricity to the Nigerian people,” the President said.
Tinubu said he had directed the Presidential Metering Initiative to work with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, and other relevant stakeholders to commence the programme within the next 30 days.
He encouraged qualified young Nigerians to apply, saying the initiative would provide them with marketable skills while supporting efforts to eliminate estimated billing and improve electricity access nationwide.
“I encourage eligible young Nigerians to apply. Join The Power Force. Learn a skill. Earn with dignity. Help us end estimated billing and be part of the work to light up Nigeria,” he added.
The Federal Government has announced that the third evacuation flight for Nigerians voluntarily returning from South Africa will arrive Lagos today having departed Johannesburg at midnight yesterday with 271 returnees on board.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Mr Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
According to the ministry, the Air Peace-operated flight is expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026.
It said the evacuation is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians from South Africa.
“The third evacuation flight operated by Air Peace will depart Johannesburg today by 12 midnight with 271 returnees. The estimated time of arrival in Lagos is 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026,” the statement read.
The latest batch of returnees follows earlier evacuation flights that brought hundreds of Nigerians back to the country under the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme.