World bank injects $200m boost into Ekiti State development projects
By Esther Agbo
The World Bank has pledged over $200 million for developmental projects in Ekiti State, with $60 million already disbursed, according to an official statement from the Ekiti State Government shared on their X page.
During a strategic meeting with Heads of Development Agencies at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, the World Bank Country Director, Dr. Ndiame Diop, disclosed that the funds are allocated for eight different projects. He urged stakeholders in the state to collaborate to ensure the success of these initiatives.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji spoke just as the WorldBank said it had committed over $200 million to Ekiti State, out of which $60 million has been disbursed so far in some critical aspects of the state’s development.
The World Bank Country Director, Dr Ndiame Diop who disclosed this during the Governor’s engagement, said the funds are directed at eight different projects.
He called for more effective collaboration from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure the success of the projects,” the statement read in parts.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji emphasised the importance of local and international partnerships in accelerating the state’s development goals. He praised the financial support from the World Bank, highlighting its potential to advance infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, and education in Ekiti.
He also invited investors, assuring them that Ekiti provides an ideal environment for business operations.
He said, “We are a government that is reform minded, transparent, we are accountable and am leading a team that is competent and committed to the mandate of this administration.
“Everything we are doing in Ekiti is already planned for. We know the track we are following, we know the step we have taken and we are trying our best within the available resources as a state, but we know that we have the capacity and ability to do more and that is why we have invited you here today to say, please handhold us in areas where your institutions can partner and collaborate with us. Let us work together so that we can deliver good governance to the people of Ekiti State.
“We tick all boxes in transparency, we have a regulatory instrument in the state that ensures that we deliver on projects, and for those of you that have one program or the other in Ekiti, you will know that we adhere strictly to protocols for implementation, and that speaks to our commitment to doing things the right way.”
