African Development Bank (AfDB) has granted a $200 million loan to support Nigeria’s flagship digital infrastructure initiative, Project BRIDGE, which is designed to expand broadband access across the country.
Project BRIDGE, is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) aimed at deploying at least 90,000 km of Fiber Optic cables as Nigeria’s core connectivity Infrastructure and national backbone for universal access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across Nigeria, under a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) funding model.
The initiative aims to expand Nigeria’s fibre backbone from roughly 30,000 kilometres to about 120,000 kilometres.
Its objectives include connecting all 774 local government areas and enhancing regional interconnection with neighbouring countries such as Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
The project is attracting strong support from international development partners, with the World Bank having already pledged $500 million to the initiative, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is also anticipated to participate in the programme’s execution.
The renewed inflow of funds reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure ambitions, particularly as broadband connectivity becomes ever more central to economic growth, job creation, and digital inclusion.
However, despite the fresh funding, the project remains in a heavy preparatory phase just as the Federal Government is spending $6.1 million on consultants covering transaction advisory, legal compliance, and technical planning.
“Procurement and advisory work suggest timelines will depend as much on regulatory alignment and project structuring as on capital availability,” the publication noted.
