The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has approved $100 million for Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, while the European Union signed a €45 million Digital Economy Package that includes $26 million in grant funding for the same initiative.
Key Points
- The EBRD’s $100 million commitment represents one of its largest investments in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure sector
- The EU’s €45 million package allocates €22 million to Project BRIDGE, €18 million to digital public services, and €5 million to the 3MTT talent programme
- Project BRIDGE plans to expand Nigeria’s fibre network from 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres across all 774 local government areas
- The World Bank previously committed $500 million under a results based disbursement model with the first $6 million tranche expected in 2026
Context
Communications Minister Bosun Tijani announced the funding after completing a two week investment tour across six European countries. The World Bank financing agreement signed in December 2025 requires Nigeria to meet specific deployment milestones before funds are released, including setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle and completing initial fibre routes. A supply chain advisory contract worth ₦451.9 million has already been awarded to a consortium led by Bluechip Technologies Limited to design the first 40,000 kilometres of fibre routes, signaling that technical preparations are underway.
Why It Matters
Securing backing from multiple European institutions alongside the World Bank validates Nigeria’s fibre expansion as both commercially viable and strategically significant. Expanding high speed connectivity to underserved areas could unlock new opportunities in digital services, remote work, and artificial intelligence readiness across Africa’s most populous nation. The project also sets a precedent for how other African countries might structure large scale infrastructure financing through international partnerships and performance based funding models.
Source: TechCabal
