Project BRIDGE will expand Nigeria’s fibre-optic backbone to about 125,000km, while 3,700 telecom towers will be deployed in underserved communities.

The Federal Government will begin implementing its ambitious 90,000-kilometre nationwide fibre-optic network in October, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has announced.

Tijani disclosed this in Abuja at the National Innovation Hub Standards Framework Workshop, where he said funding had been secured for the project, known as Project BRIDGE.

According to the minister, the initiative is designed to significantly expand Nigeria’s digital infrastructure by increasing the country’s fibre-optic backbone from its current estimated 35,000 kilometres to about 125,000 kilometres.

He said the expansion would improve broadband connectivity across the country, particularly in underserved and unserved communities where access to reliable internet services remains limited.

Tijani described the project as one of the most significant investments in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, noting that the completed network would rank among the longest fibre-optic networks in Africa, alongside those of countries such as South Africa and Egypt.

The project is being supported by several international development institutions and partners. Its funding package includes $500 million from the World Bank, $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a €22 million grant from the European Union and $200 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Beyond the fibre rollout, Tijani said the Federal Government plans to deploy about 3,700 telecommunications towers in communities currently without adequate network coverage.

He disclosed that more than 20 million Nigerians are currently without access to telecommunications services, stressing the need to extend digital connectivity beyond major urban centres.

The government, he added, would also renew Nigeria’s communications satellite to improve connectivity in remote areas that are difficult to reach through conventional terrestrial infrastructure.

Tijani said the investments were part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to build the digital infrastructure required to drive productivity and economic growth across key sectors, including agriculture, healthcare and education.

He linked the digital infrastructure programme to the government’s ambition of developing a $1 trillion economy, noting that improved connectivity would create opportunities for businesses, entrepreneurs and digital service providers.

The minister said the government would not focus solely on building physical infrastructure but would also support digital platforms, including identity and payment systems, as well as businesses capable of developing innovative services on the new infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, said the government was developing national standards for innovation hubs across the country.

Abdullahi said the move was aimed at addressing disparities in the quality, capacity and distribution of innovation hubs, which play an important role in supporting technology entrepreneurs and startups.

He disclosed that more than 339 innovation hubs had been identified nationwide, but noted that a significant proportion were concentrated in Lagos, Abuja and a few other states.

Representatives of the European Union and Denmark at the workshop pledged continued support for Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and efforts to strengthen the country’s innovation and technology sectors.

The government expects the combined investments in fibre infrastructure, telecommunications towers, satellite connectivity, digital platforms and innovation hubs to help bridge Nigeria’s digital divide and create a stronger foundation for the country’s digital economy.