Nigeria Launches 90000 km Fibre Optic Backbone to Boost Broadband and GDP

The Nigerian government has announced the launch of Project Bridge, a transformative initiative to expand the country’s digital infrastructure through the deployment of a 90,000 km fibre optic backbone. This ambitious project, part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to deliver high-speed, resilient, and equitable broadband connectivity across the nation. Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, announced the initiative in Lagos, calling it the most significant digital infrastructure undertaking in Nigeria’s history [1].

Project Bridge will expand the country’s existing 35,000 km of fibre optic cables to a total of 125,000 km, positioning Nigeria as home to the third-largest fibre backbone in Africa, behind only Egypt and South Africa [1]. This expansion aligns with the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025), which targets internet penetration rates of 70% by 2025 and 80% for underserved populations by 2027 [1]. The project is structured as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), operating under a public-private partnership model to ensure governance and accountability. The Nigerian government will hold a minority stake of 25% to 49%, with the remaining funding coming from private investors and development finance institutions such as the World Bank and African Development Bank [1]. The total estimated cost is $2 billion, with half sourced from sovereign loans and the other half from private investments [1].

The backbone will consist of seven regional rings connecting Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones—Lagos, South West, South South, South East, North Central, North East, and North West—ensuring redundancy, reducing latency, and enabling seamless data transmission [1]. In addition, 37 metropolitan networks will connect all 774 Local Government Areas, supporting both large and small Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and encouraging infrastructure sharing [1]. This design is expected to foster competition and accelerate broadband expansion across the country.

Beyond infrastructure, the project is positioned as a catalyst for economic growth. Experts project that the expanded fibre network could increase Nigeria’s GDP by 1.5% per capita within four years, raising the national GDP from $472.6 billion to approximately $502 billion [1]. The initiative is also expected to generate 20,000 direct jobs and 150,000 indirect jobs, while training 5,000 Nigerian youths in network maintenance through the Digital Bridge Institute [1]. Over 200,000 educational, healthcare, and social institutions will gain internet access, addressing the digital divide that currently leaves 33 million Nigerians offline [1].

The government has actively engaged international partners to support the project. Dr Tijani has pitched Project Bridge to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and is in ongoing discussions with the World Bank and African Development Bank, with $1 billion in loans already secured [1]. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has also contributed through a grant for a feasibility study, which will explore the deployment of fibre alongside national power grids, railways, and pipelines [1]. These collaborations reflect Nigeria’s broader strategy to attract global investment in digital infrastructure.

The Special Purpose Vehicle will be incorporated in Q3 2025, with a five-year rollout plan starting with the deployment of 30,000 km of fibre in the first year [1]. By 2027, the project aims to connect 12 million additional Nigerians, empowering startups, enhancing digital literacy, and strengthening national security [1]. Dr Tijani describes the initiative as a mission to “build the digital backbone that transforms our economy from the ground up” [1]. With robust public-private partnerships and international backing, Nigeria is positioning itself as a digital leader in Africa.

Source: [1] Nigeria launches 90,000 km fibre optic backbone to accelerate nationwide connectivity (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/68960e8be21b950c870dd3a0/)