Morganable Technology | Digital Economy
The Federal Government is seeking $1.2 billion in private investment to support the rollout of a 90,000-kilometre fibre network across Nigeria.
Lagos —
Nigeria is moving closer to a major expansion of its digital infrastructure.
The Federal Government is seeking $1.2 billion in private capital for a nationwide fibre-optic network. The project is expected to begin physical deployment in October.
Known as Project BRIDGE, the initiative will deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre across the country.
It is designed to improve internet access and support more people and businesses in the digital economy.
The government estimates that the project will cost about $2 billion.
So far, $800 million has been secured through financing commitments from development institutions.
The funding includes $500 million from the World Bank, $200 million from the African Development Bank and $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The remaining $1.2 billion is expected to come mainly from private investors. The government says the private funding does not have to be secured before the physical rollout begins.
Why the project matters
For millions of Nigerians, reliable internet is now part of everyday life.
People use the internet to work, study, run businesses, make payments and communicate with customers.
However, many communities still struggle with poor or limited broadband access.
Project BRIDGE is designed to help close this gap.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy says the network will cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. It is also expected to connect more than 770 local government areas.
This could make a difference in communities where internet access remains limited.
For small businesses, better connectivity could make it easier to sell products online and use digital services.
For workers, it could create more opportunities to work remotely and access online jobs.
Students could also benefit from better access to online learning materials.
Healthcare centres are another potential beneficiary. The government says improved connectivity can help healthcare facilities access real-time information and improve service delivery.
Private sector gets bigger role
The government is not planning to fund and operate the entire project alone.
Instead, it is using a public-private partnership model.
A new company, Bridge Open Access, has been established to help drive the project.
The company will finance, build and operate the fibre network.
It will operate as a wholesale infrastructure provider. This means telecom operators, internet service providers, banks and cloud companies can use the network to provide their own services.
The arrangement is expected to encourage more private investment in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The government is expected to remain a minority shareholder, while private investors will hold the larger stake in the company.
According to the ministry, the structure is intended to bring private capital and technical expertise into the project.
From 35,000km to 125,000km
Nigeria already has a fibre network, but the government wants to expand it significantly.
The current national network is estimated at about 35,000 kilometres.
Project BRIDGE is expected to add about 90,000 kilometres. This would take the national fibre network to roughly 125,000 kilometres.
The goal is to make high-speed internet available to more parts of the country, including areas that have not attracted enough private investment.
The World Bank has said the project could help reduce Nigeria’s digital divide by expanding access to affordable, high-speed broadband.
Deployment begins in October
The fibre project has faced delays.
The government had earlier expected large-scale deployment to begin between late 2025 and early 2026. However, the rollout was delayed as the government worked on the project structure, private-sector participation and other implementation arrangements.
The government has now announced October as the expected start of physical deployment.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has also revised the expected delivery period from five years to three years.
That means the government wants the nationwide rollout completed faster than originally planned.
What Nigerians should expect
The impact of the project will not be measured by kilometres of fibre alone.
What matters most is how the infrastructure improves internet access for ordinary Nigerians.
Better connectivity could support businesses, schools, hospitals and public institutions.
It could also help more young Nigerians take part in the growing digital economy.
However, fibre infrastructure is only one part of the challenge.
Affordable internet services, reliable electricity and last-mile connections will also be important if communities are to fully benefit from the investment.
For now, the next major milestone is October.
As physical deployment begins, attention will turn to how quickly the network reaches underserved communities and how effectively private operators use the new infrastructure.
If the project stays on schedule, Nigeria could take another major step towards building a more connected digital economy.
