The World Bank has approved three financing operations totalling $1.08 billion to support education, nutrition, and economic resilience in Nigeria.
According to a statement on the bank’s website on Wednesday, the concessional loans aim to improve the quality of education, build household and community resilience, and enhance nutrition for underserved groups.
The statement read, “The World Bank has approved three operations in Nigeria, totaling $1.08 billion in concessional financing, to enhance education quality, build household and community resilience, and improve nutrition for underserved groups.”
The approved operations include $500 million in additional financing for the Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme, $80 million for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN 2.0), and $500 million for the Hope for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) initiative.
NG-CARES to boost livelihood support
The NG-CARES Programme, initially designed to address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, will support the government’s efforts to expand access to livelihood support, food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households.
The programme, which has already reached over 15 million beneficiaries, has evolved into a shock-responsive platform providing multisectoral interventions, including social transfers, labour-intensive public works, livelihood grants, and support for small businesses.
The additional financing aims to bolster the programme’s reach, particularly as Nigeria faces economic challenges from the 2023 fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange rate unification.
ANRIN 2.0 to tackle malnutrition
The Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN 2.0) programme will enhance access to quality nutrition services for pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children under five.
The initiative will focus on improving maternal and child health, nutrition services, and food security in selected areas. It aligns with Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and the Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, focusing on preventive and curative nutrition interventions, improved feeding practices, and increased access to micronutrient-rich foods.
ANRIN 2.0 builds on the success of the initial programme, which delivered nutrition services to over 13 million children under five between 2018 and 2024.
HOPE-EDU to support basic education
The Hope for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) initiative, which is part of a series of interrelated operations, will support foundational literacy and numeracy, enhance access to basic education, and strengthen education systems across participating states.
The project is expected to directly benefit 29 million public primary school pupils, 500,000 teachers, and more than 65,000 public primary schools. The initiative will also address issues related to school overcrowding and the decentralised allocation of education funds. HOPE-EDU will receive an additional $52.18 million in co-financing from the Global Partnership for Education Fund.
What they are saying
Commenting on the initiative, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiamé Diop, said, “Investing in human capital is critical for Nigeria as it offers the best opportunity to unlock the enormous potential of Nigeria. These new programmes will help accelerate education quality and support vulnerable citizens.
“The HOPE-EDU programme will enable better education outcomes by implementing bold reforms and making the right investments to equip the fast-growing young population with foundational skills necessary for rapid and inclusive economic growth.”
Diop added that the ANRIN interventions would improve access to micronutrient-rich foods and nutrition services at primary healthcare levels, while the NG-CARES funding would help Nigeria transition from pandemic response to long-term resilience amid ongoing economic challenges.
