A civil society organisation, Open Forum, has urged Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno to clarify the true nature and financial implications of the $6.2 million secured by the state under the World Bank-assisted State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Programme.
In a letter dated July 7, 2026, the group, led by its Founder and President, Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono, raised concerns over the governor’s description of the funds as a “reward for accountability, transparency and good governance,” arguing that available public information suggests SABER may involve concessional loans rather than an outright grant.
“The impression conveyed that the $6.2 billion facility is a grant to the State appears at variance with available facts in the public domain,” it said. Open Forum urged the governor to direct the Commissioners for Finance and Economic Development to disclose the exact nature of the funds, repayment terms, charges, fiscal implications and the performance indicators that qualified Akwa Ibom for the money.
The group also called for a public clarification to prevent confusion over the state’s debt obligations and strengthen accountability in the management of public funds.
