FG secures $100 million EBRD investment for fibre-optic expansion

2026-02-26 08:37:26

The Federal Government has secured a $100 million investment from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, the federal government’s fibre-optic expansion programme.

The 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.

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What the minister said

According to the minister, the Board of the EBRD has formally approved the $100 million investment to support the deployment of fibre infrastructure across Nigeria.

“As we conclude the final leg of our Project BRIDGE Investment Tour in Europe this week, following several extremely positive engagements, I am pleased to confirm the formal approval by the Board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD to proceed with a $100 million investment in Project BRIDGE.”

According to Tijani, the package includes €18 million for digital public services and €5 million to support the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, as well as €18 million for Digital Public Services and €5 million to support our 3MTT Nigeria Programme.

“These approvals are deeply reassuring as we reflect on the hard work and the air miles, across six countries in two weeks to secure the partnerships required to deploy 90,000km of fibre across Nigeria, delivering meaningful connectivity to all Nigerians,” he stated.

Backstory

Project BRIDGE, formally known as Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth, is the Federal Government’s ambitious plan to expand broadband infrastructure nationwide by deploying 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cables across Nigeria.

Launched under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, 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.

Before the recent funding announcements, Nigeria had already received major backing for the project, including a $500 million financing package from the World Bank Group to support the roll-out of the fibre network.

What you should know

Despite efforts under the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025), Nigeria’s broadband penetration has stayed low. Industry data shows that broadband access in the country has hovered around 41.5%–48.8%, which means less than half of the population has reliable internet access.

A large portion of the population still lacks consistent high-speed internet, especially in rural and underserved regions. 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.

Nigeria’s broadband goal under the National Broadband Plan was set at 70% penetration by 2025, a target that has so far proven difficult to hit due to infrastructure bottlenecks.

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