The federal government has revealed that 28 states accessed loans totaling approximately $68 million through the World Bank-backed States Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme.
Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Chairman of the SABER Steering Committee and Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance, shared the news during the 2025 National Sensitisation Workshop in Abuja yesterday.
“Aside from three states, all other states, including the FCT, signed the Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA), with 28 states receiving between USD$1 million and USD$4 million in Prior Results Disbursements from a total of USD$68.36 million,” Jafiya disclosed.
She further emphasized that arrangements have been made with an Independent Verification Firm to assess performance for 2023 and 2024. “The lessons learned under the SFTAS programme have enhanced our transparency in business relations with government, optimized processes for land acquisition, and strengthened Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRM),” Jafiya added.
Dr. Ali Mohammed, Director of the Home Finance Department and National Programme Coordinator, explained that the workshop aimed to inform stakeholders about the successes and challenges of the SABER programme. “The goal is to chart pathways for even greater success as we enter the third year of this crucial initiative,” he said.
The SABER programme, a three-year $750 million initiative running from 2023 to 2025, incentivizes states to implement critical reforms that enhance land administration, improve the regulatory framework for private investment, and promote public-private partnerships.