The World Bank has approved $750 million in new loans for Nigeria to expand broadband infrastructure and strengthen health security systems. The World Bank said the initiative reflects lessons learned from COVID-19 and other outbreaks, stressing the need for resilience in West and Central Africa. Nigeria has secured $8.4 billion in World Bank loans across 15 projects since mid-2023. Economist Dr Aliyu Ilias warned Nigeria’s debt stock, now near N149 trillion, risks crowding out funding for public services. Figures from the Debt Management Office show Nigeria’s debt to the World Bank stands at $18.23 billion, accounting for 40 per cent of the nation’s external debt.