TDThe Anambra State Government has said a World Bank implementation report confirms that the state did not express interest in participating in the 2024 Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE)-Governance Programme, dismissing reports that it was excluded from the facility due to poor performance.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Christian Aburime, said recent media reports claiming that Anambra was denied access to the World Bank loan over unmet performance benchmarks were inaccurate.
The clarification, according to the state government, is based on the World Bank’s Implementation Status & Results Report for the Nigeria HOPE-Governance Programme (P181476), dated July 7, 2025.
The report states: “35 states and the Federal Capital Territory have expressed interest in participating in the Program. Anambra State did not express interest to participate in the Program.”
According to the government, the report makes no reference to Anambra being disqualified or failing to meet eligibility benchmarks. Instead, it notes that states which expressed interest continued to engage with the World Bank for technical guidance and programme implementation.
The state maintained that its decision not to participate at the time was an administrative one, taken after evaluating the programme against its development priorities and fiscal plans.
“Anambra’s non-participation was a deliberate administrative decision, not a penalty,” the statement said, adding that the Soludo administration carefully assesses every development programme before making financial commitments.
The government further disclosed that it is currently concluding due diligence and holding discussions with the World Bank regarding future collaboration.
It assured residents that Anambra would not hesitate to participate in any development initiative that aligns with the state’s priorities.
“The State Government is currently concluding due diligence and ongoing talks with the World Bank, and Anambra State will not fail to participate in any progressive programme or policy that aligns with our priorities, now or in the future,” the statement added.
The government also called on journalists and members of the public to verify information before publication, urging them to avoid what it described as misleading insinuations capable of creating false impressions about the state’s relationship with international development partners.
