The World Bank appears to have limited comments on parts of its Instagram page after Nigerians flooded the platform with reactions over the Federal Government’s proposed $1.25bn loan request under President Bola Tinubu.
The backlash followed an exclusive report by DDM revealing that Nigeria is in advanced talks with the World Bank over a fresh facility aimed at supporting economic reforms, electricity expansion, digital infrastructure, agriculture and job creation.
The proposed loan, known as the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration programme, is expected to go before the World Bank board for approval on June 26, 2026 just months before the 2027 presidential election.
If approved, it would become the second-largest World Bank facility secured by the Tinubu administration, behind the $1.5bn economic reform financing approved in June 2024.
At the current exchange rate, the loan is estimated at about N1.7tn, further adding to concerns over Nigeria’s growing debt burden.
Following the report, many Nigerians took to the World Bank’s social media pages, urging the institution not to approve more loans for the country amid worsening economic hardship and rising public debt.
DDM observed increased engagement on the bank’s Instagram page, with some users later unable to access the comment section on certain posts.
However, checks showed the restriction appeared to vary across devices. While some iPhone users could not see the comment option, it remained visible on some Android devices.
A senior World Bank source, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly, dismissed suggestions that the comments were intentionally restricted because of Nigerians’ reactions.
According to the source, the issue was likely technical, noting that critical comments from users are common on the bank’s social media platforms.
The proposed facility comes as scrutiny grows over Nigeria’s dependence on multilateral loans.
Between June 2023 and May 2026, the World Bank approved about $9.35bn in loans and credits for Nigeria across sectors including power, healthcare, agriculture, education, social protection and economic reforms.
Major approvals during the period include the $2.25bn RESET and ARMOR reform financing in 2024, $1.57bn for the HOPE and SPIN programmes, and another $1.08bn for education and resilience projects approved in 2025.
If the latest request is approved, total World Bank approvals under Tinubu would rise to roughly $10.6bn.
Still, many of the approved loans are tied to policy conditions and reforms, meaning the funds are often released in phases rather than immediately.
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