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Nigeria has secured its first significant financial commitments from European institutions to back its ambitious national fibre-optic expansion plan, Project BRIDGE, aimed at ensuring high-speed internet access in every one of the country’s 774 local government areas.
The announcement came on Wednesday, February 25, from Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, following a two-week investment tour through six European countries.
Tijani confirmed that the Board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has formally approved a $100 million investment in Project BRIDGE, marking one of the bank’s largest commitments to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure to date.
This funding builds on a previously secured $500 million commitment from the World Bank Group, underscoring growing global confidence in Nigeria’s broadband strategy.
In addition to the EBRD support, the European Union has endorsed a €45 million Digital Economy Package for Nigeria.
Under this package, €22 million (about $26 million) is allocated as a grant for Project BRIDGE itself, €18 million is directed toward strengthening digital public services, and €5 million will support Nigeria’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, which focuses on expanding the country’s digital skills base.
“These approvals are deeply reassuring as we reflect on the hard work and air miles, across six countries in two weeks, to secure the partnerships required to deploy 90,000 km of fibre across Nigeria,” Tijani said in a post on his official social media account.
Project BRIDGE, formally dubbed Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth, is designed to multiply Nigeria’s existing fibre backbone from around 35,000 km to an estimated 125,000 km, dramatically enlarging the reach of high-speed broadband services.
The expanded network aims to support a wide range of digital services, enable more reliable remote work, and equip the country with infrastructure ready for emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
Under the World Bank financing agreement signed on December 30, 2025, funds are to be disbursed based on a “pay-for-results” framework. An initial $6 million is expected in 2026 to set up a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will manage the rollout.
A further $155 million will be released in 2027 once the SPV is operational and the first 5,000 km of fibre meet technical benchmarks. Later payments are linked to achieving 25,000 km and 65,000 km deployment milestones.
Preparatory work is already underway, with the Ministry awarding a $335,000 contract to a consortium led by Nigerian firm Bluechip Technologies Limited to provide advisory services on supply-chain design for the first 40,000 km of cable routes.
The combined European and World Bank backing represents a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s efforts to close its digital divide and expand broadband access nationwide, positioning the country for enhanced connectivity, economic inclusivity, and technological growth.
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