The African Development Bank has conducted a workshop to assess the performance of its country portfolio in Nigeria.
Nearly 200 participants attended the workshop on the 2025 Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR), conducted together with the Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja earlier this month. They included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Bank, and agencies involved in Bank-supported public sector projects in Nigeria.
During the workshop, both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to accelerate delivery of Bank-financed operations in Nigeria.
With an active portfolio of $5.1 billion across 52 public and private sector operations, the African Development's Bank's portfolio in Nigeria remains its largest country portfolio on the continent.
The 2025 Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) serves as a strategic platform to assess portfolio performance, identify implementation challenges, and ensure alignment with the country's evolving development priorities.
Opening the workshop, Dr. Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank in Nigeria, emphasized the Bank's results-driven approach: "We are gathered here not just to review numbers, but to ensure that investments translate into tangible and visible development impact," he said. "Every dollar must count, every delay must be addressed, and each team must have clarity on its role in delivering development results for Nigerians."
Stanley George, Director of the International Economic Relations Department (IERD), Federal Ministry of Finance, welcomed the Bank's sustained partnership. He stressed the importance of fiscal accountability, timely execution, and results that directly benefit Nigerian citizens. He said, "The portfolio we are reviewing consists of loans, not grants, and the Federal Government is repaying them through taxpayer funds." He noted, "Every individual managing a project has a critical role to play. We applaud the African Development Bank for mobilizing this critical mass of stakeholders showing the power of partnership in driving delivery."
Technical sessions covered project implementation topics, including procurement, disbursement, financial management, and compliance with environmental and social safeguards. Key discussions emphasized effective grievance mechanisms, active community engagement, and strong compensation plans. Teams also reviewed portfolio clean-up and faster disbursements.
The outcomes of the thematic sessions were reviewed along with the assessment of project quality at entry, timelines for start-up, and oversight and coordination mechanisms. Several project implementation units shared lessons from their respective states, emphasizing what is working, what needs refinement, and how collaborative dialogue contributes to joint problem-solving.
"Being part of the CPPR gave us greater clarity on what's expected of us, especially around procurement planning and disbursement procedures," said Samuel Ogundare, Procurement Officer for the Ekiti State Knowledge Economy Project. "The direct engagement with the Bank's team, combined with the broader platform for discussion, will really help us deliver more effectively."
A new 2025 Country Portfolio Improvement Plan was formally adopted, outlining concrete actions and timelines to address bottlenecks and enhance the quality of implementation going forward.
The African Development Bank reiterated its commitment to supporting Nigeria through sustained policy dialogue, technical assistance, and capacity building.
