The African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council, Nigeria office has urged China, France, Japan and India to write off Nigeria’s debt or allow a two-year moratorium on repayments.

It also commended the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for granting a relief to 25 nations under its Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust to tackle the novel corona virus.

The AU agency’s Nigeria Representative, OBA OLASUNKANMI, in a statement explained that as major lenders, they should follow suit by giving similar reprieve to the Federal Government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization noted that it would be difficult for the nation to service the debts in the face of the economic realities imposed by the virus, as the United Nations had projected that the world would need 1 trillion dollars for continual existence.