In a high-level meeting at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday, World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde declared that Nigeria has emerged as a global benchmark for courageous economic shifts.
Speaking with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, Bjerde noted that the international community now frequently cites Nigeria as a primary example of steady, credible reform leadership.
The World Bank chief lauded the progress made over the last two years, specifically pointing to the government’s resolve to maintain its trajectory despite significant economic headwinds. She noted that this consistency has successfully rebuilt confidence among global investors and the private sector. Bjerde confirmed that the upcoming Country Partnership Framework is designed to align with Nigeria’s domestic vision of achieving a $1 trillion GDP and a 7% growth rate.
“Many countries around the world, even middle-income and upper-middle-income countries, are suffering again with rising levels of stunting. And here, we’ve identified early childhood development as a strong entry point. So, all of this, to say we’re looking forward to a new country partnership framework,” Bjerde said.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s stance, acknowledging the hardships caused by the initial removal of subsidies and the unification of exchange rates. However, he pointed to the recent significant reduction in inflation and the stabilization of the naira as evidence that the strategy is working. He insisted that while the path has been difficult, there will be no turning back from reforms rooted in transparency and accountability.
The President also detailed a massive shift toward agricultural industrialization, citing the creation of zonal mechanization centers and improved seed development intended to transition small-scale farmers into productive cooperatives.
“Nigeria is the heart of the continent, and we must do what’s necessary to strengthen the economy, particularly looking at the young population of this country, looking at the vast area of arable lands. How do we employ mechanisation and make agriculture easier? I have embarked upon that. We have created zonal mechanisation centres to help the farmers,” President Tinubu said.
During the exchange, Bjerde emphasized that the World Bank Group including the International Development Association (IDA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is prepared to scale up support for mid-sized firms to drive employment. President Tinubu, in turn, urged the Bank to streamline its processes, reduce bureaucracy, and accelerate financing to ensure that growth remains inclusive for Nigeria’s expanding population.
The delegation included several World Bank officials, with Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and Deputy Chief of Staff Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia also in attendance.
