No oil assets pledged in $5bn Abu Dhabi swap, FG clarifies
By Aboki Forex —
The Federal Government has defended its $5 billion Total Return Swap (TRS) facility with First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC (FAB), saying no oil revenues or strategic national assets were pledged as collateral for the transaction.
The Debt Management Office (DMO), in a Frequently Asked Questions document issued on August 27, 2026, said the facility is secured by naira-denominated Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) securities, with collateral valued at 133.3% of the amount drawn.
What the DMO is saying
The government said the TRS allows Nigeria to obtain US dollar liquidity by pledging eligible FGN bonds, while paying interest based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus an agreed margin. The transaction has a maximum facility size of $5 billion and a six-year tenor, and was approved by the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
The first tranche is priced at SOFR plus 3.95%, while subsequent tranches will attract SOFR plus 4%. “No oil revenues or strategic assets, such as ports or airports, are pledged,” the DMO said.
The facility will be drawn in phases rather than necessarily accessing the full $5 billion at once. According to the DMO, the funds will be used for budget implementation, priority infrastructure, refinancing of relatively more expensive domestic and external debt and other critical financing needs approved by the President.
The DMO said a TRS provides an additional funding channel and can allow Nigeria to access dollar liquidity more quickly, particularly when international bond markets become volatile or expensive. It described the additional collateral as a risk buffer rather than a direct cost to the government. The arrangement also provides for monthly margining and a five-business-day cure period if the collateral falls below the required level.
Criticism and transparency concerns
Several groups have criticised the Federal Government's position on transparency regarding the $5 billion TRS facility. In June, it was reported that Nigeria accessed the first tranche of the derivatives financing arrangement with the United Arab Emirates' largest lender.
The IMF also cautioned Nigeria over the plan to raise up to $5 billion through the arrangement, saying such financing structures are often complex and lack transparency. The Senate approved the Total Return Swap earlier this year to refinance costly debt and fund critical infrastructure.
In December, the Federal Government secured about $1.2 billion in financing from the UAE to support construction of a key section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
What it means for Nigeria
The clarification comes as Nigeria's debt servicing costs remain under pressure. According to the government's reform scorecard, exchange-rate depreciation increased external debt servicing costs by N9.37 trillion, while higher interest rates added N1.24 trillion to domestic debt servicing expenses. The TRS is part of the government's effort to ease those financing pressures without touching strategic national assets.