Recent Data released by the Nigeria Bureau
of Statistics reveals an increase in total public debt stock between 2015 and
2016. Foreign and domestic debt stock stood at $11.4 billion and N14.0 trillion
respectively as at December 2016, from $10.7 billion and N10.5
trillionrecorded as at December 2015. Disaggregated
data shows that foreign debt sources comprised Multilateral ($8.0 billion),
Bilateral ($0.2 billion) and Exim bank of China ($3.2 billion); domestic
sources included government bonds, treasury bills and bonds. The federal
government and states accounted for 68.7% and 31.3% respectively of foreign
debt stock; 78.9% and 21.1% respectively of domestic debt stock. This maybe
particularly at the backdrop of government borrowings in 2016 to finance its
expenditure (mostly recurrent).