By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved $200 million in financing
for Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, a major digital infrastructure initiative aimed
at expanding the country’s fibre backbone network.
Announcing
the development, Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and
Digital Economy, described the project as Nigeria’s most ambitious digital
infrastructure programme and one of the largest fibre backbone investments in
the developing world.
The
financing forms part of a broader coalition of international support for the
initiative, with additional backing from the World Bank Group and the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, contributing to the sovereign funding
required for the project.
Project
BRIDGE is expected to significantly enhance Nigeria’s national broadband
capacity, supporting improved connectivity, digital services expansion, and
economic growth.
Officials
said the investment reflects growing institutional confidence in Nigeria’s
digital transformation agenda, as the country accelerates efforts to build
critical infrastructure and strengthen its position within the global digital
economy.
