Nigeria is shifting its economic focus from macroeconomic stabilisation to attracting investment, deepening financial markets and unlocking sustainable growth, as Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso held talks with top officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Bangkok on Monday.
The Nigerian delegation met with IMF First Deputy Managing Director, Dan Katz, and World Bank President, Ajay Banga, to discuss the country’s economic outlook, development financing and strategies for promoting long-term growth.
According to a statement on the engagements, discussions with the IMF focused on Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook, policy priorities and opportunities for continued technical cooperation.
The meeting with the World Bank, on the other hand, centred on development financing, private sector participation, infrastructure development, digital transformation and financial inclusion.
For the CBN, the next phase of the economic agenda is to translate macroeconomic stability into a more resilient financial system, deeper and more efficient financial markets, stronger investor confidence and improved financial connectivity with the global economy.
The engagements also highlighted efforts to strengthen coordination between fiscal and monetary authorities to create a more predictable economic environment for investors and businesses.
The CBN Deputy Governor in charge of Economic Policy, Philip Ikeazor, participated in the meetings alongside senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the apex bank.
The discussions reflect Nigeria’s stated intention to move beyond macroeconomic stabilisation towards mobilising investment and strengthening the financial system to support sustainable economic growth.
However, achieving these objectives will depend on the effective implementation of policy priorities, improved access to finance, sustained investor confidence and the ability to translate economic reforms into broader development outcomes.
