The Federal Government of Nigeria has intensified efforts to ensure all 36 states sign the $500 million Subsidiary Loan Agreement tied to the World Bank Group-backed HOPE Governance Programme.
The initiative is designed to strengthen service delivery in Nigeria’s basic education and primary healthcare sectors, two areas widely seen as critical to human development.
Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Deborah Odoh, disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with a World Bank delegation.
Odoh revealed that her ministry is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Finance to accelerate state-level participation.
She acknowledged existing time constraints but expressed confidence that a structured timeline would deliver results.
“We will put in extra efforts to make it happen even faster,” she said, adding that concrete milestones have already been mapped out.
The permanent secretary also assured stakeholders of strong institutional backing to ensure the programme achieves measurable impact nationwide.
“I am glad we are having this meeting. We expect to see more tangible results shortly,” she added.
Meanwhile, the World Bank Task Team Leader for the programme, Ikechukwu John Nweje, urged the federal government to intensify engagement with state governments.
He stressed the importance of securing full participation to unlock the programme’s benefits across all states.
The HOPE Governance Programme is part of broader efforts to improve governance systems and enhance public service delivery in Nigeria.
