Atiku demands Tinubu account for N166.79trn debt before $1.5bn World Bank loan
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, urged President Bola Tinubu to fully account for Nigeria’s N166.79 trillion public debt before seeking an additional $1.5 billion loan from the World Bank. Speaking in a statement on Monday, Atiku accused the administration of imposing endless sacrifices on Nigerians while continuously borrowing, noting that debt per citizen has climbed from N383,442 three years ago to N716,822 today—an 87 percent increase.
He said families are struggling to afford food, fuel and electricity, yet the government keeps announcing new loans without explaining how previous funds were spent. Atiku demanded that before any loan is approved, the government publish the specific projects to be funded, the communities and citizens expected to benefit, clear targets for each programme, the borrowing and disbursement terms, and a timetable Nigerians can use to track delivery.
He also said the proposed $500 million facilities for climate resilience, social protection and early childhood development must deliver measurable results: restored land, irrigation, flood protection, identifiable recipients and timing of support, and gains in nutrition, healthcare and learning. Atiku questioned why debt continues to rise despite claims of higher revenue and savings from petrol subsidy removal, asking where the results are for the sacrifices Nigerians have made.