Information minister Mohammed Idris has confirmed that Nigeria has fully repaid the $3.4 billion COVID-19 loan from the International Monetary Fund.

The minister said this while briefing State House correspondents after the sixth Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday.

Mr Idris addressed some scepticism regarding the repayment, stating, “We can report that Nigeria has, indeed, exited from that debt, meaning we have paid it in full.”

He explained that the loan was taken during the COVID-19 period, before the current administration, but President Bola Tinubu viewed the government as a continuum and directed that the country exit the debt.

Mr Idris emphasised that the move demonstrated Nigeria’s seriousness and capacity to meet its debt obligations, signalling to domestic and international investors that Nigeria was responsible for managing its finances.

Additionally, Mr Idris announced that FEC had directed the Bureau for Public Procurement to communicate the new procurement threshold for goods and services to ministries, departments, and agencies.

He noted that the threshold had been in place for a long time and contributed to the number of approvals required from the council.

He also stated that the council had directed all MDAs, especially the ministry of works, to collaborate more with the private sector on infrastructure development.

“The government is saying that there is an increasing need for private sector participation in our economic growth,” Mr Idris added.

(NAN)