Governors from both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) have clarified that the N570 billion recently mentioned by President Bola Tinubu as support to states was not a direct grant from the Federal Government, but rather a World Bank loan.

Tinubu had stated during a national broadcast on Sunday that "more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens." This statement came amidst widespread protests over economic hardship in the country.

However, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State (PDP) countered this claim, explaining that the funds were actually part of the World Bank-assisted NG-CARES (Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus) project. "The Federal Government did not give any State money; they were simply the conduit through which the reimbursements were made to States for money already spent," Makinde clarified.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State (APC) corroborated Makinde's explanation, stating that the loan predated the current administration and was specifically tied to certain projects. "The money is not for rice, it is not for palliatives, it is not for anything in that line," Sule emphasized during an interview with Arise Television.

Both governors explained that the NG-CARES programme, initiated in 2020, was designed to help states recover from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The funds were disbursed in tranches, with states receiving reimbursements for approved projects in areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, and cash transfers to vulnerable citizens.

Sule revealed that Nasarawa State received N13.6 billion in the second tranche, while Makinde reported that Oyo State received N5.98 billion in the first instance and N822 million in the second.

The governors stressed that this was a loan, not a grant, and would need to be repaid by the states. They also highlighted that the funds were strictly regulated by the World Bank and tied to specific, pre-approved projects aimed at poverty alleviation and economic recovery.

This clarification comes as many Nigerians, including prominent figures like human rights lawyer Femi Falana, had called for accountability on how the purported N570 billion in federal support was being utilized by state governments.