Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government has secured a $100 million investment from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, the government’s fibre-optic expansion programme aimed at deploying 90,000 kilometres of broadband infrastructure nationwide.
Okay News reports that Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on his verified X account at the conclusion of the Project BRIDGE Investment Tour in Europe. The new commitments add to the $500 million financing earlier approved by the World Bank Group for the project. The package includes €18 million for digital public services and €5 million to support the 3 Million Technical Talent programme.
Project BRIDGE, formally known as Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth, is designed to expand broadband infrastructure nationwide under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications. The project is to be implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle that invites private investment and encourages public-private partnerships, with the government seeking to attract global financiers and technology partners.
Despite efforts under the National Broadband Plan covering 2020 to 2025, Nigeria’s broadband penetration has stayed low with access hovering around 41.5 percent to 48.8 percent, meaning less than half the population has reliable internet access. Expanding fibre infrastructure is considered essential for addressing this connectivity gap and unlocking access to online education, e-commerce, digital health, and remote work opportunities. The National Broadband Plan target of 70 percent penetration by 2025 has proven difficult to hit due to infrastructure bottlenecks. This new fibre infrastructure investment aims to accelerate progress toward universal broadband access.
