The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has launched a 90,000 km fibre optic infrastructure, ‘Project Bridge’, to accelerate connectivity across the country.
Announcing the completion of ‘Project Bridge’ on Friday at a stakeholder event in Lagos, hosted in partnership with the Association of Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ATCON), the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani stated that the newly built fiber optic is the largest digital fibre backbone investment in any developing nation.
“Project Bridge is currently the largest digital fibre backbone investment in any developing nation. It is a bold and strategic effort to lay a 90,000km wholesale, open-access fibre network across the country,” the minister said in an update on his X handle.
“It is designed to deliver high-speed, resilient, and equitable broadband connectivity to every corner of Nigeria – from major urban hubs to remote communities.”
The minister said the project marks a major step forward in the Federal Government’s mission to build an inclusive and future-ready digital economy for Nigerians.
The project is a central part of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), which aims to boost internet penetration to 70 per cent by 2025 and 80 per cent for underserved populations by 2027.
Project Bridge, which is expected to create more jobs, will operate under a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to ensure efficiency and accountability.
The connectivity project cost the government $2 billion, and it is being funded by DFI loans and private equity, with the government holding a minority stake of 25–49 per cent in an independently run SPV.
The project targets 20,000 direct and 150,000 indirect jobs, and 1.5 per cent GDP growth. It aims to contribute from $472.6 billion to $502 billion GDP in four years.
(Premium Times)
