Nigeria will deepen its partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to fund critical projects in health, water and the infrastructure sector, President Muhammadu Buhari, said on Monday in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in Abuja on Monday.
Buhari stated this when he received, Dr Ali Madani, the President of the IDB Group at the State House, Abuja.
The president commended the bank for supporting several developmental projects across the country.
He acknowledged that the bank had funded several people-oriented projects in Osun, Kaduna, Jigawa, Niger, Katsina, Kano and Ebonyi states, demonstrating its “soft spot and robust support’’ for Nigeria.
‘‘We cannot thank you enough for the height you have achieved for the bank in 41 years.
“Now that you are about to retire, we thank you for the quality leadership which the world has recognised,’’ the president said.
Buhari also expressed appreciation to the IDB Group and other countries for extending their assistance to Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East.
He assured the visiting IDB chief that Nigeria, a major financier of the bank, would meet all its obligations to the development institution within the shortest time possible.
Buhari highlighted efforts of the current administration at diversifying the economy with emphasis on agriculture.
He expressed strong optimism that Nigeria would achieve self-sufficiency in rice and sugar; and export both commodities in the next three years.
In his remarks, Madani congratulated Buhari on the positive outcomes of the war against corruption and terrorism.
According to him, the bank is ready to mobilise resources from Arab fund for developmental initiatives of the Nigerian government and the private sector, particularly on agriculture.