Nigeria secures $600M+ for national fibre-optic expansion

Nigeria's Project BRIDGE has secured $600 million in new funding from European partners, including $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and €45 million from the European Union. This brings total financing to $500 million from the World Bank, enabling expansion from 35,000 to 125,000km of fibre nationwide. The funding supports deployment across all 774 local government areas, aiming to improve digital services, enable remote work, and build AI-ready infrastructure. Implementation follows a 'pay-for-results' model with first $6 million disbursement in 2026 for Special Purpose Vehicle setup. Early contracts awarded include ₦451.9 million for route design of first 40,000km fibre. Minister Bosun Tijani stated this validates Nigeria's digital infrastructure viability after securing partnerships across six European countries.

SOURCE: https://techcabal.com/2026/02/26/nigeria-lands-123m-european-backing-for-fibre-project/