International Finance Cooperation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have signed an agreement to increase local currency financing.

According to a statement by CBN’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, the agreement is to enable private businesses in Nigeria to grow and thrive.

Sidi-Ali said that IFC aims to significantly scale up its financing of critical sectors in Nigeria, with a goal of providing more than one billion dollars in the coming years.

She said that those priority sectors included agriculture, housing, infrastructure, energy, small and medium enterprises and the creative and youth economy.

“Many of these sectors require local currency financing, and IFC’s partnership with the CBN is a key tool in expanding access,” she said.

“The partnership will allow IFC to manage currency risks and increase its investment in the Nigerian Naira across priority sectors of the economy,” she said.

Meanwhile, the CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso, said that this pioneering initiative would unlock much-needed long-term local currency financing for private businesses in Nigeria at economically viable rates.

“This collaboration marks significant progress in the CBN’s commitment to delivering innovative development initiatives through reputable third-party service providers, moving beyond traditional intervention programmes.

” It will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and advance the Federal Government’s agenda for economic diversification,” he said.

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