Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, has come to the defence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his recent foreign loan request, asserting that the president is not the first Nigerian leader to seek external borrowing.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, the former Edo State governor explained that borrowing for capital projects, particularly in the area of infrastructure, is not only a common global practice but also necessary for national development.

According to Oshiomhole, every Nigerian president, from Olusegun Obasanjo to Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, has at one point turned to international lenders for loans and aid to support developmental projects. He added that even developed countries like the United States frequently rely on borrowing to meet infrastructure and budgetary needs.

 “Once the purpose of borrowing is clear and acceptable, it is patriotic to approve of it,” Oshiomhole stated. “This is not the first president to borrow. You name the country that doesn’t borrow. Even America is borrowing. Their deficit is heading toward $31 to $36 trillion.”

His comments come less than a month after President Tinubu sent a letter to the National Assembly on May 27, requesting approval for external loans amounting to $21.5 million, ¥15 billion (Japanese yen), and a €65 million grant, as part of his administration’s 2025–2026 external borrowing plan.

The request, which was read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, reportedly included a funding breakdown. However, full details of the proposed use of the loans have not been made public, a point that has raised concerns among some lawmakers and members of the public.

Nonetheless, Senator Oshiomhole insisted there was nothing wrong with the loan request, provided the funds are directed toward genuine development projects, especially those aimed at improving the country’s infrastructure.