By Our Reporter, Makurdi.
Residents of Adaka community on the outskirts of Makurdi, Benue State, have called on international lenders to automatically suspend debt repayments for developing countries hit by disasters and pandemics, and to reduce interest rates on loans to enable governments invest in healthcare, education and basic infrastructure.
The demand was made during a community advocacy programme organised by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, where community members, local advocacy leaders and AHF officials highlighted how rising debt servicing is crippling service delivery in rural areas.
Speaking at the event, President of Advocacy Club Adaka, Mr Moses Usuwe, said African countries continue to pay disproportionately higher interest rates on loans than developed nations, a situation he described as unfair and detrimental to development.
“We are advocating freedom from unjust debt burdens. African countries are paying higher interest rates than developed nations. We believe there should be equity in the global lending system,” Usuwe said.
He outlined three key demands: the establishment of a Borrowers’ Forum for developing countries to negotiate collectively with creditors, the allocation of one per cent of global AI-generated revenues to support education, healthcare and infrastructure in Africa, and automatic suspension of debt repayments whenever countries are hit by disasters or pandemics.
“When countries experience floods, disease outbreaks like COVID-19 or Ebola, or any major disaster, debt repayment should be suspended until they recover,” he added.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Advocacy Club Adaka, Mrs Eunice Idoko, linked Nigeria’s rising debt servicing obligations to the poor state of infrastructure in rural communities.
She lamented the acute water shortage in Adaka, saying women and children spend several hours daily searching for water.
“In Adaka, water remains a major challenge. Women wake up as early as 4am just to fetch one bucket of water and may not return until 8 or 9am. This affects our children who get to school late.
“If government spends less on debt servicing because interest rates are reduced, more resources can be invested in critical infrastructure such as potable water,” Idoko stated.
Another advocate, Mrs Richesl Uzo, appealed for debt repayment moratoriums for countries affected by health emergencies and natural disasters.
She argued that governments battling crises should be allowed to prioritise emergency response instead of servicing external debts.
AHF Nigeria’s Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Mr Steve Aborisade, said the campaign emerged from the reality that many developing nations are under serious pressure from inequitable loan terms.
“We realised governments genuinely want to do more but are constrained by huge debt repayment obligations. Most African countries borrow because they need resources for development, yet they pay far higher interest rates than wealthier countries,” Aborisade said.
He noted that forming a Borrowers’ Forum would strengthen the negotiating position of developing countries and help secure fairer loan conditions.
“If we negotiate collectively, we can push for lower interest rates. That would free up resources for governments to invest in healthcare, education, roads, water and other critical services,” he said.
Aborisade also urged governments and major AI companies to commit one per cent of AI revenues to fund debt relief and investments in public health, education and social protection across developing countries.
Highlighting the urgency, he cited data showing that approximately 3.4 billion people live in countries spending more on debt repayments than on health or education, while two out of every three African countries spend more on debt interest than on healthcare.
“Africa is not poor; it is being drained. We are not asking for debt cancellation. We are asking for fairer repayment terms that leave room for development and improve the lives of ordinary people,” he said.
Also speaking, Chief Nicholas Angbianshio of Mbagbaange community, commended AHF Nigeria for its interventions across the country, saying “my subjects and I have benefited immensely from the good works of your organisation, please sustain it.”
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