EU Approves €22 Million Grant for Nigeria's 90,000km Fibre-Optic Expansion Project
The European Union has officially approved a substantial €22 million grant to bolster Nigeria's ambitious nationwide fibre-optic expansion under the federal government's Project BRIDGE initiative. This significant financial support was announced in a statement issued in Abuja, marking a crucial step forward in Nigeria's digital transformation agenda.
Financing Structure and Partnership Details
The €22 million grant will be channeled through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which will subsequently on-grant the funds to Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. This grant complements an €86 million loan from the EBRD's own resources, which is expected to receive final approval in the coming weeks.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating that the bank is pleased to collaborate with the EU to expand digital infrastructure in Africa's largest economy. She noted that the financing package includes technical cooperation designed to attract private investment while ensuring secure, inclusive and sustainable connectivity nationwide.
Nigeria's Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, described the agreement as a key milestone toward delivering Project BRIDGE on schedule. He emphasized that Nigeria's digital transformation agenda depends on robust and resilient broadband infrastructure, adding that this partnership signals growing international confidence in the country's digital roadmap.
Comprehensive Funding for 90,000km Fibre Rollout
The €22 million EU grant is strategically structured to complement sovereign loans expected from multiple international financial institutions, including the EBRD, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank (AfDB). Combined financing will support the establishment and capitalization of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) tasked with deploying an extensive 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable across Nigeria under Project BRIDGE.
The SPV is expected to feature 51 per cent private sector participation, aligning with the federal government's objective of crowding in private capital. The EBRD's €86 million loan agreement will include specific conditions relating to cybersecurity safeguards and open-access compliance to ensure that the network operates under internationally recognized standards of transparency, security, and competition.
Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Components
The EU grant integrates comprehensive technical assistance alongside investment support to accelerate implementation. In the initial phase, the technical package will fund Low-Level Design (LLD) work covering approximately 40,000 kilometres of fibre network. This includes detailed route mapping, crossing surveys, digitized planning, quality assurance processes, and security risk assessments.
The primary goal is to produce a ready-to-deploy blueprint that will allow construction to begin immediately once the SPV becomes fully operational and financing agreements are finalized. The funding will also support substantial capacity development within Nigeria's fibre deployment ecosystem, including plans to train 2,000 technicians, provide targeted equipment subsidies, and enable small subcontractors to access pooled procurement arrangements and volume discounts.
The EU estimates these measures could lower rollout costs by between 20 and 30 per cent while strengthening supply-chain resilience and ensuring compliance with both EU and Nigerian quality standards.
Digital Infrastructure as Strategic Priority
EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, highlighted that trusted and high-integrity digital infrastructure is strategically important for both Nigeria and the European Union. He noted that digital cooperation has become a core area of engagement between the two partners, reflecting the growing importance of connectivity in modern economic development.
This development comes at a critical time for Nigeria's digital landscape. According to recent statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, internet user subscribers in Nigeria declined marginally by 0.62% quarter-on-quarter to 142.05 million as of June 2025. The country's internet population remains concentrated in key states, with Lagos State leading with over 17 million internet users, followed by Kano and Ogun States, each recording populations above 8 million.
The Project BRIDGE initiative represents a comprehensive effort to address Nigeria's digital infrastructure challenges and expand broadband access across the nation, potentially transforming connectivity for millions of Nigerians and supporting economic growth through enhanced digital capabilities.
