30th March, 2023
By Kadiri Abdulrahman
Nigeria’s total public debt stock is N46.25 trillion as of December 31, 2022. (103.11 billion dollars).
This is according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Debt Management Office (DMO) in Abuja.
According to the DMO, the country’s total public debt stock included the domestic and external debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the sub-national governments.
The 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory are sub-national (FCT).
For December 31, 2021, the comparative debt stock is N 39.59 trillion (95.77 billion dollars). Total domestic debt stock was N27.55 trillion (61.42 billion dollars), while total external debt stock was N18.70 trillion (41.69 billion dollars).
“Among the reasons for the increase in total public debt stock were new borrowings by the Federal Government and sub-national governments, primarily to finance budget deficits and execute projects.
“The issuance of promissory notes by the Federal Government to settle some liabilities also contributed to growth in the debt stock,’’ the office said.
It, however, said that ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to increase revenue from oil and non-oil sources through initiatives like the Finance Acts and the Strategic Revenue Mobilisation Initiative are expected to support debt sustainability.
“Meanwhile, the total debt-to- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio for Dec. 31, 2022 was 23.20 per cent. It indicates a slight increase from the figure of Dec. 31, 2021 at 22.47 per cent.
“The ratio of 23.20 per cent is within the 40 percent limit self-imposed by Nigeria and the 55 per cent limit recommended by World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“It is also within the 70 per cent limit recommended by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),’’ it said.
NAN reports that the total public debt stock as released by DMO excludes the N22 trillion Federal Government’s indebtedness to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through Ways and Means advances.
The Ways and Means advances are presently awaiting securitisation by the National Assembly, and can only be added to the country’s public debt after such securitisation.
NAN