NSIA, World Bank Partner On New Financing Platform To Boost Power Infrastructure

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has unveiled plans to deepen its role in financing large-scale infrastructure projects, working closely with the World Bank to establish a new integrated funding platform aimed at unlocking critical investments across key sectors of the economy.
Chief Executive Officer of NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the presentation of the Authority’s 2025 earnings, describing the initiative as a strategic response to Nigeria’s growing infrastructure deficit.
He said the proposed platform, known as the Nigeria Infrastructure Finance and Guarantee Facility (NIFGF), is designed to address structural bottlenecks that have historically constrained the execution of large-scale projects.
According to him, the facility will combine four essential components required to deliver bankable and sustainable infrastructure.
These include project preparation, viability gap funding, long-term financing, and credit guarantees.
Umar-Sadiq explained that while the initiative spans multiple sectors, a key focus will be on electricity infrastructure, particularly transmission and generation, where financing gaps have continued to hinder capacity expansion.
He noted that the platform would also extend to other critical infrastructure segments such as airports and seaports, where large-scale funding remains a challenge.
He stressed that for a country of Nigeria’s size and economic potential, there is a pressing need to prioritise large-scale infrastructure delivery rather than fragmented, small-scale interventions.
The NSIA boss said the Authority is positioning itself to lead this shift by mobilising strategic and financing partners, while leveraging its institutional experience in executing complex government-backed projects.
“We are trying to create an integrated platform for financing and executing large-scale infrastructure projects,” he said, adding that the Authority had already moved to the next phase of implementation.
Umar-Sadiq revealed that NSIA had gone to tender to appoint a team of transaction advisers who will support the establishment of the facility and conduct due diligence on an initial pipeline of projects.
He expressed optimism that within the next year, tangible progress would be recorded in operationalising the platform and advancing priority projects.
The initiative comes amid growing concern over Nigeria’s electricity supply challenges, with stakeholders repeatedly calling for coordinated investment in generation and transmission infrastructure.
Beyond infrastructure financing, Umar-Sadiq highlighted the Authority’s strong financial trajectory, noting that NSIA’s asset base has expanded significantly over the years.
He said the institution’s funds under management have grown from about $1 billion in 2013 to $3.4 billion in 2025, reflecting sustained performance and prudent investment strategies.
“This is a tremendous achievement for any institution,” he said, attributing the growth to disciplined execution of its core mandate and effective portfolio management.
On funding, he emphasised that NSIA’s impact is driven by both investment returns and consistent capital contributions from the federation.
He explained that continued government support is closely tied to the Authority’s performance and ability to deliver results on strategic national assignments.
“Money always chases success,” Umar-Sadiq said, noting that strong performance would continue to justify sustained capital inflows from government despite fiscal constraints.
He added that capital mobilisation remains central to NSIA’s long-term strategy, particularly in ensuring that its investments attract additional funding from external partners.
According to him, the Authority is focused on structuring projects in ways that make them commercially viable and attractive to both local and international investors.
This approach, he said, would enable NSIA to multiply its impact by leveraging third-party capital, rather than relying solely on its own balance sheet.
The combination of performance-driven credibility and strategic capital mobilisation, he noted, will be critical in scaling infrastructure delivery across the country.
Industry analysts say the proposed NIFGF could mark a significant turning point if successfully implemented, particularly in addressing long-standing financing and execution challenges in Nigeria’s power sector.
With Nigeria’s electricity demand continuing to outpace supply, coordinated investment platforms such as this are increasingly seen as essential to unlocking sustainable growth and improving energy access nationwide.