Nigeria: Cabinet Approves $2.2bn External Borrowing Plan – Minister

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The minister said the plan is made up of access to the international capital market for some combination of the Euro bond offer and the Sukuk bond offer, and perhaps a Euro bond of about $1.7 billion.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved $2.2 billion financing programme for external borrowing, including a potential Eurobond and Sukuk bond offer.

Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, made this known while briefing journalists after the FEC meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“We just had the Federal Executive Council meeting, and I am privileged to present two memoranda to the Federal Executive Council.

“The first one was to complete the borrowing programme of the federal government in terms of external borrowing with the approval of a $2.2 billion financing programme.

“It is made up of access to the international capital market for some combination of the Euro bond offer and the Sukuk bond offer, and perhaps a Euro bond of about $1.7 billion.

“Sukuk financing of another $500 million the actual makeup of the financing which will be done as soon as the National Assembly has considered and hopefully approve the borrowing plan.

“If the external borrowing approval is given, it will be done this year, as soon as possible after approval.”

He explained that the actual combination of instruments that would be raised would depend on what the advisors would say about market conditions at the time of the decision to enter the market.