WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet | By Remmy Nweke With $21bn in new loans, why is Nigeria still begging for $516m to save 1m starving children? We analyze the "Asphalt vs. Bread" paradox and the politics of malnutrition debt.
Introduction:
While the Federal Government and humanitarian partners are currently knocking on the doors of the international community for a $516 million "urgent appeal" to save 1 million children from malnutrition, the national ledger tells a different story. In the same fiscal cycle, the Nigerian Senate has approved a massive $21.19 billion external borrowing plan for 2025–2026.
The contrast is jarring. On one hand, the government is pleading for donor "mercy" to fund the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). On the other, it is aggressively securing loans that dwarf the malnutrition appeal by nearly 40 times.
This raises a haunting question for every Nigerian parent: If we can borrow $21 billion for "infrastructure and power," why are we passing the hat for $516 million to keep our children alive?
Borrowing for Asphalt, Begging for Bread
A deep dive into the 2026 fiscal framework reveals that debt is no longer just a tool for growth; it is a weight that threatens to crush the very people it is supposed to serve. The 2026 budget earmarks a staggering ₦15.91 trillion for debt servicing alone, accounting for nearly 30% of total government spending.
While some foreign loans, such as the recently approved $1.08 billion World Bank package, do include components for nutrition (the ANRIN 2.0 project), these are often "concessional" drops in an ocean of infrastructure debt.
A debt trap or death trap?
The implications of this fiscal mismatch are devastating. Analysts at BudgIT and other fiscal watchdogs warn that Nigeria is increasingly "borrowing to survive" rather than borrowing to build. When debt servicing consumes one-third of the budget, there is little "own-source" revenue left to fund the ₦298 billion needed for basic health care or the millions required to fortify the food supply for the 5.8 million food-insecure people in the BAY states.
If malnutrition is not fully integrated into the core of Nigeria's borrowing and budgetary priorities, rather than being treated as a side-car for NGOs, the country risks building world-class railways that transport a generation of stunted, brain-fogged citizens.
Climate Change and Hunger Belt: Why international day of poverty must start on Nigerian farm by Remmy Nweke - WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet
Sunday Jackson: Justice, agriculture, and cost of survival in rural Nigeria by Remmy Nweke - WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet
Borrowing for Asphalt, Begging for Bread
A deep dive into the 2026 fiscal framework reveals that debt is no longer just a tool for growth; it is a weight that threatens to crush the very people it is supposed to serve. The 2026 budget earmarks a staggering ₦15.91 trillion for debt servicing alone, accounting for nearly 30% of total government spending.
While some foreign loans, such as the recently approved $1.08 billion World Bank package, do include components for nutrition (the ANRIN 2.0 project), these are often "concessional" drops in an ocean of infrastructure debt.
The reality remains that the vast majority of Nigeria's massive loan intake is directed toward the "hard" economy, railways and power grids, while the "soft" economy of human capital and child survival is left to the whims of international charity.
The Politics of 'Transition'
Critically, the 2026 HNRP marks a "transition" to nationally-led humanitarian action. This is polite diplomatic language for a harsh reality: international donors are tired, and they are pulling back. In 2025, funding for the humanitarian plan was slashed by half.
The "politics" of malnutrition in Nigeria lies in this gap. By separating "development loans" from "humanitarian appeals," the government effectively keeps the cost of child survival off the main balance sheet. This allows for grand announcements of multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects while the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard Doro, is left to manage a "national transition" with a shrinking pot of donor funds.
The Politics of 'Transition'
Critically, the 2026 HNRP marks a "transition" to nationally-led humanitarian action. This is polite diplomatic language for a harsh reality: international donors are tired, and they are pulling back. In 2025, funding for the humanitarian plan was slashed by half.
The "politics" of malnutrition in Nigeria lies in this gap. By separating "development loans" from "humanitarian appeals," the government effectively keeps the cost of child survival off the main balance sheet. This allows for grand announcements of multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects while the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard Doro, is left to manage a "national transition" with a shrinking pot of donor funds.
A debt trap or death trap?
The implications of this fiscal mismatch are devastating. Analysts at BudgIT and other fiscal watchdogs warn that Nigeria is increasingly "borrowing to survive" rather than borrowing to build. When debt servicing consumes one-third of the budget, there is little "own-source" revenue left to fund the ₦298 billion needed for basic health care or the millions required to fortify the food supply for the 5.8 million food-insecure people in the BAY states.
If malnutrition is not fully integrated into the core of Nigeria's borrowing and budgetary priorities, rather than being treated as a side-car for NGOs, the country risks building world-class railways that transport a generation of stunted, brain-fogged citizens.
ALSO READ:
Climate Change and Hunger Belt: Why international day of poverty must start on Nigerian farm by Remmy Nweke - WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet
Sunday Jackson: Justice, agriculture, and cost of survival in rural Nigeria by Remmy Nweke - WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet
The appeal:
The 2026 appeal for $516 million is not just a request for aid; it is an indictment of a system where the interest paid to foreign creditors is significantly higher than the investment made in the Nigerian child.
The 2026 appeal for $516 million is not just a request for aid; it is an indictment of a system where the interest paid to foreign creditors is significantly higher than the investment made in the Nigerian child.
As the lean season of 2026 approaches, the question from the WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet is clear: Are we truly broke, or are our priorities just broken?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Share ur views here