President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has said Nigeria was in need of support of all international financial institutions in view of its present economic challenges.
Receiving the new World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, Senator Lawan said Nigeria would appreciate the support of the World Bank to mitigate poverty.
He said: “This meeting is a very important meeting coming at a time that Nigeria, particularly, is facing a lot of challenges of financing our infrastructural development.
“It cannot be more auspicious than this. But of course, the world itself is facing the economic upheaval of some sort because of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 infection across the globe.
“Nigeria has been involved with the World Bank for a long time now and you have been very supportive. But this is the time we need you most.
The Senate President who further painted a picture of an economy in doldrums, however, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to take 100million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years was realisable, provided friends of Nigeria come to her aid.
“It is possible because we have the ingredients and we have friends who will help us. This is where the World Bank is also needed.
“How do you help us achieve that? It is achievable. Other countries have achieved that, India, Brazil and China have done quite well.
“Not only money but the technical support we require because it is not only given us loans and grants but even how to apply and deploy resources to achieve these goals will be so important and critical.
“So, how do you help us in this year 2020 to take 10 million Nigerians out of poverty and take out an additional 10 million in 2021, and then 2022?
