A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on international financial institutions to suspend new lending to Nigeria ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections.
The organisation made the call in a statement published on its X account on October 4, 2026, while reacting to reports that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking billions of dollars in additional financing from international lenders. The claim and the firm’s concerns have also been reported by Nigerian news outlets.
The advocacy firm specifically mentioned the World Bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD), arguing that fresh borrowing so close to the 2027 presidential election could expose public funds to the risk of mismanagement.
“The Nigerian presidential election is a few months away, and, on cue, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is seeking billions of dollars from the World Bank and, not surprisingly, from the European Investment Bank and France’s Agence Française de Développement,” the organisation said.
It further alleged that borrowed funds could be mismanaged while ordinary Nigerians ultimately bear the financial burden.
“Nigeria takes on loans, funds disappear, politicians buy houses in the U.S. and EU, while ordinary Nigerians struggle to feed their families,” the firm stated.
Von Batten-Montague-York said it planned to engage the World Bank over the issue, noting the role of the United States as a stakeholder in the institution.
“Given Nigeria’s history of corruption, loans should be paused until Nigerians elect their next leaders,” the organisation added.
The call comes against the background of continued financing relationships between Nigeria and international development institutions. AFD says it has operated in Nigeria since 2008 and currently supports projects covering areas including human capital, infrastructure, climate resilience, governance and private-sector development. Its 2026–2030 framework includes financing and technical support for Nigeria’s development priorities.
Nigeria has also received financing involving the World Bank, EIB and AFD for development programmes. For example, official World Bank documentation records joint financing involving the three institutions under Nigeria’s Digital Identification for Development Project.
The advocacy firm’s latest demand is therefore focused on whether new lending to Nigeria should continue as the country approaches the 2027 election cycle. Its position remains an advocacy call, rather than an announcement that the World Bank, EIB or AFD has agreed to suspend financing to Nigeria.
The debate is likely to keep attention on Nigeria’s borrowing plans, the management of public debt and the safeguards attached to development financing as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.