Communications Minister Dr Bosun Tijani announced that the nationwide 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic network rollout will officially kick off in October to expand broadband connectivity. The project is part of the government’s plan to expand Nigeria’s broadband backbone and improve connectivity in underserved communities.
Funding has been secured from multiple development partners, including a $500 million World Bank approval, $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a €22 million EU grant, and $200 million from the African Development Bank. The project, known as Project BRIDGE, will extend Nigeria’s fibre backbone from about 35,000km to roughly 125,000km.
Tijani said the project would make Nigeria’s fibre network either the second or third longest on the African continent. The government also plans to deploy close to 3,700 telecom towers to communities currently without network coverage. “The bigger our economy gets, the more jobs we create, the more taxes we’re able to capture,” Tijani said.
The winners: Nigerian consumers, who will benefit from improved connectivity; and the digital economy, which will gain infrastructure. The losers: the Nigerian government, which must ensure the project is completed on time; and the Nigerian public, who must wait for the benefits.
Bottom Line: Nigeria is rolling out 90,000km of fibre. Broadband is coming to underserved communities. The question is whether the project will be delivered on time and within budget.