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Nigeria’s Debt Profile Doubles In 2014: External Loan At $10 Billion While Domestic Hits $50 Million
Dec 15, 2014 – Nigeria’s 2014 Debt Profile Rises: External Loan At $10 Billion While Domestic Hits $50 Million
Nigeria has been borrowing aggressively in recent years. The Jonathan government borrowed 1.1 billion from China in July of 2013 for “Abuja light rail” project and airport repair. This loan was to be repaid in 20 years and came at an interest rate of 2.5%. Rewinding a bit, the Jonathan government launched into action in 2010 with an almost $1 billion loan, a$915 million concessionary loan from the World Bank to be repaid in 40 years after 7 years loan-draw period. At this time, Nigeria’s external debt stood at $3.98 billion.
The House of Reps approved a borrowing cap of $7.3 billion for 2013-2015; while Nigeria borrowed $4.4 billion from the World bank with $1.8 billion disbursed and the rest attracting service charges, Business Eye reports. In November this year, Jonathan borrowed another almost $1 Billion from the International Development Association of the World Bank, to “diversify the Nigerian economy.” The $945 million loan repayable in 20 years at an interest rate of 1.5% and service fee of 0.75%. Nigeria has the highest borrow rate in Africa, period. According to Business Eye, Nigeria has become the largest recipient of loans from the International Development Agency (IDA) arm of the World Bank between 2009 and 2012 and currently has the largest outstanding IDA portfolio in Africa, ahead of Kenya and Tanzania.
Additional loans like the $1 Billion to supposedly fight Boko Haram, paint a picture of a nation that lives off of financial indebtedness. We also have dozens of other loans from varying counties, including the $100 million loan from the Indian Import-Export Bank in 2012 for Kaduna, Enugu and Cross River States, which is to be paid back in 10 years at 2% interest rates. He who goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing they say. A unique example out of the African region which defies the need for loan dependent development is that of Kano Governor in North West Nigeria, Rabiu Kwankwaso who steered significant development in his State, one-third the population of Ghana while actually paying off past debts and keeping the State 100% debt free.
Nigeria has become loan dependent under the current administration which cannot account for the nation’s oil revenue and has financed all partial infrastructure developments on crippling loans that promise to send the nation into humiliating suffering and slavery to the colonial and Eastern financial institutions for the next 40 years.
Nigeria’s external debt increased from $3.9 Billion in 2009 to a staggering $10 Billion where it is now. Our domestic debt has also shot out of proportion. The Government can simply not afford to pay contractors and even its staff. The domestic debt stands at almost $50 Billion as at November 2014. There has been a 22% yearly increase in domestic indebtedness from 2009 to 2014 and this shot up even higher in 2014. BusinessDay says that what is worrying about this worsening profile is that these debts are used for fruitless and “unproductive” ventures.
One has to ask, #WhereIsOurMoney? If all currently touted ‘development’ is based on loans to Nigeria’s detriment. Neighboring English-speaking Ghana’s predicament is quite similar. Salaries are delayed till loans come through. In the first half of 2014, the Mahama government borrowed a staggering GH¢6.3 Billion; about $2 Billion dollars to add to a cumulative debt of about $20 Billion. There has been a huge conversation on limiting Government borrowing in the West African nation of 26 million.
Based on current oil prices, with the barrel price dropping from $111 to below $60/barrel as speculative and futuristic trade New World tools continue to deliberately send the prices plunging to punish Russia and other developing nations, Nigeria and Ghana are not just being crippled, but are going to be dragged on their faces. With corruption and lack of reasonable plans to diversify the economy, save surpluses—which always end up being looted and used to finance the billionaire private jet loving cabal—Nigeria has nothing to save itself with and cannot afford to pay the Jonathan loans based on current oil prices. According to budgiT, Nigeria is expected to have to borrow in 2015 to pay civil servant salaries due to a grossly inadequate Sovereign Wealth Fund, compared to other African nations… yes that is how bad it is looking.
The rebasing of Nigeria’s economy in 2014 has put the nation in a more dire state as this was a hallucinatory incentive to seek and be given more loans. The Jonathan administration jumped on the opportunity this created with the reduction of the debt to GDP ratio to single digits opening up access to more loans which Jonathan simply indulged in. And then came the fall in oil prices.
It is going to be tough in Nigeria. If it was tough before, then hold on to your seat belts, because the ride is only just getting bumby.
[By Dr. Peregrino Brimah, ENDs]
Jacob Flow
December 16, 2014 at 2:55 AM
Yet the Bastard by name Okupe compares Jonathan with Jesus Christ….
JAMOON DEFINITION(GBS)
December 16, 2014 at 5:11 AM
Bia Brima or whatever where did u get ur facts 4rm ?are u now d finance minister ?
Glass In The Market
December 16, 2014 at 11:36 PM
Only idiotic relatives and party members will vote this bread winner thief again.