Nigeria Needs Private Investment for Infrastructure Growth

The Alternative Bank has asserted that Nigeria must significantly boost private-sector investment in infrastructure, as public budgets alone are insufficient to address the country's increasing financing needs. This statement was made following the bank's participation in the Nigeria Infrastructure Conference (INFRACON 2026) held in Abuja.

Jacob Achem, the Branch Manager of The Alternative Bank’s Dei-Dei Branch, represented the bank’s Divisional Head at the conference. He stated that the infrastructure gap in Nigeria is too large to be bridged by public funding alone and emphasized the necessity of unlocking private capital through effective financing structures.

The conference focused on mobilizing investments for critical sectors, including power, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure. Achem highlighted that attracting sufficient capital requires developing bankable projects and fostering collaboration among government institutions, financial entities, and private investors.

He also pointed out that non-interest finance could be a viable funding mechanism to connect capital with productive assets and sustainable projects.