The Nigerian Senate gave its approval Thursday for a very controversial request for a loan of 22.7 billion dollars, or two thirds of its budget forecasts for 2020, ensuring that it wants to relaunch infrastructure works.
Nigeria has returned to being Africa's largest economy this week, ahead of South Africa, which is sinking into recession, but the giant of some 200 million people is also suffering from a slowdown in its growth in a global economic context. uncertain.
Senate Speaker Ahmad Lawan, close to President Buhari and his party, the Congress of Progressives (APC) assured that "this loan will be spent on projects that will have an impact on the daily lives of Nigerians".
"We must ensure that every dollar, every penny will be allocated to the project intended for it", he declared after the vote in Abuja, in an attempt to reassure against the risks of embezzlement, in a country where "corruption is a cancer", in the words of the Head of State.
"We pray that this money can restart economic growth," concluded Mr. Lawan.
This request made by the government has caused great controversy and intense debate in the Senate, where parliamentary groups have asked for a precise plan on the use of this large sum of money, which represents more than 65% of the budget forecasts of the State for the year 2020 (33.8 billion dollars).