A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on major international financial institutions to suspend new lending to Nigeria until after the country’s 2027 general election.
The firm made the appeal in a statement published on its X account, following reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is seeking additional financing from international development lenders.
The organisation specifically mentioned the World Bank, European Investment Bank (EIB) and France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD), arguing that the timing of proposed financing deserves greater scrutiny as Nigeria approaches the next presidential election.
The firm expressed concern about Nigeria’s history of corruption and alleged that borrowed funds could be mismanaged, while ordinary citizens would ultimately be left to repay the loans.
It also said it intends to engage the World Bank on the issue, noting the United States’ position as a stakeholder in the institution.
Von Batten-Montague-York argued that new loans should be put on hold until Nigerians have elected their next leaders, effectively calling for a temporary freeze on additional international borrowing.
The demand comes amid wider public discussions about Nigeria’s debt levels, government borrowing and the management of funds obtained from international development institutions.
However, the call represents the position of the US-based advocacy firm and does not indicate that the World Bank, EIB or AFD have agreed to suspend financing to Nigeria.
The appeal also comes as Nigeria continues to pursue development financing for areas including infrastructure, economic growth and social programmes, making the country’s borrowing strategy an increasingly prominent issue ahead of the 2027 election.
