Nigeria Enters Race to Close Digital Divide with 90,000-Kilometre Fibre Network

Nigeria is preparing to build a 90,000-kilometre optical-fibre network in one of its largest efforts yet to extend broadband access beyond the country's connected centres. The proposed network would add to roughly 35,000 kilometres of existing infrastructure and reach unserved and underserved areas across all six geopolitical zones.

Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijani says funding has been secured and implementation will start in October 2026. The estimated cost is $2 billion, financed through a public-private partnership combining development-finance debt with equity from private companies. The federal government would retain a minority stake of between 25% and 49%.

The project would create a national fibre ring and extend the total backbone to about 125,000 kilometres, potentially making it one of Africa's longest. Its stated reach includes every state, local government area and ward, as well as more than 200,000 social, educational and healthcare institutions.

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By the time we are done, it's going to be either the third or second longest fibre-optic network on the African continent, somewhere between what we have in South Africa and Egypt. And this is a project that is starting implementation in October. We have raised the funding for it.

The plan does not rely on fibre alone. Its infrastructure strategy combines terrestrial networks, mobile towers and satellite technology. Presidential approval includes telecom towers in underserved locations, while satellite links would serve hard-to-reach areas where terrain makes conventional infrastructure impractical. The government says this approach could provide access to more than 20 million people who currently lack service.

Bridge Open Access, an independent special-purpose vehicle created under Project BRIDGE, will execute and manage the backbone. The ministry appointed Blue-chip Technologies Limited as lead partner in the consortium awarded a 451.8 million naira advisory contract. The project is being advanced as President Bola Tinubu's administration seeks to deepen broadband penetration across Nigeria.

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The infrastructure strategy combines terrestrial fiber, mobile towers, and satellite technology. While presidential approval includes installing telecom towers in underserved locations, the government will deploy satellite connectivity in hard-to-reach or terrain-impracticable areas to guarantee network access for over 20 million currently unserved citizens.