The Federal Government plans to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre-optic infrastructure across Nigeria’s 36 states by 2028 under Project BRIDGE, a digital infrastructure initiative aimed at expanding broadband connectivity and strengthening the country’s digital economy.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed this during a virtual executive session with chief executive officers in the information technology industry.
According to Yilwatda, the project is expected to increase Nigeria’s combined fibre backbone from approximately 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres upon completion, while connecting more than 200,000 schools, healthcare facilities and other public institutions.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Information, Abimbola Tooki, the APC chairman described digital infrastructure as a critical component of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
He said the country’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital inclusion and a technology-driven economy would remain difficult to achieve without reliable and affordable internet connectivity.
Yilwatda disclosed that physical deployment under Project BRIDGE was scheduled to commence in October 2026, with the implementation period shortened from five years to three years, bringing the expected completion date to 2028.
He added that approximately $800 million in sovereign financing had been secured for the initiative, comprising $500 million from the World Bank, $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and $200 million from the African Development Bank. The project has also received a €22 million grant from the European Union.
The statement said the Federal Government incorporated Bridge Open Access in August as an independent company responsible for delivering the network.
Under the proposed ownership structure, the government, through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, is expected to hold between 25 and 49 per cent equity, while private investors will own between 51 and 75 per cent and retain operational control.
Yilwatda explained that the arrangement was designed to allow the government to provide strategic support and reduce investment risks, while private investors contribute capital, operational efficiency and commercial expertise.
However, he warned that additional private-sector investment would be necessary to meet the project’s full financing requirements, estimating that approximately $1.2 billion was still needed.
“Announcements do not lay cable,” the APC chairman said, emphasising that the initiative’s success would depend on practical implementation rather than policy declarations.
He also cautioned that expanding fibre infrastructure alone would not guarantee digital inclusion without complementary investments in electricity, affordable devices, data services, telecommunications towers, backhaul systems and last-mile connectivity.
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According to him, fibre deployment remains heavily concentrated in major urban centres, with Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory accounting for more than 18 per cent of the country’s deployed fibre infrastructure.
He further noted that fibre-to-the-home penetration remained low, with approximately 265,000 subscribers nationwide.
The APC chairman identified high right-of-way charges, multiple permit requirements and inconsistent regulatory processes as significant obstacles facing telecommunications operators.
He said the party would work with the Progressive Governors’ Forum and state chapters to promote harmonised right-of-way terms and improve the protection of telecommunications infrastructure across the country.
Yilwatda also advocated the designation and protection of fibre-optic infrastructure as critical national information infrastructure, warning that vandalism and damage caused by road construction and other civil works could undermine investments in digital connectivity.
He proposed better coordination between telecommunications deployment and road construction projects, including provisions for telecommunications ducts in road contracts and requirements for contractors to identify and protect existing fibre cables before excavation.
On emerging technologies, Yilwatda said artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data centres would play increasingly significant roles in shaping the global economy over the next decade.
He urged Nigeria to position itself as an active participant in the development and application of artificial intelligence rather than remain dependent on technologies developed elsewhere.
“The question for Nigeria is not whether AI will shape our economy. It will. The question is whether we will shape it, or simply rent it,” he said.
Yilwatda noted that Nigeria already had a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, while the Federal Government had also introduced a National Digital Cloud Policy designed to attract approximately $750 million in private investment into cloud and data infrastructure within 24 months.
The policy targets $250 million in investment during its first year.
Project BRIDGE is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to expand broadband access, improve digital connectivity and support the adoption of emerging technologies across Nigeria.
If implemented as planned, the initiative could extend fibre infrastructure beyond major urban centres, improve internet access for public institutions and underserved communities, and provide a stronger foundation for digital services, technology businesses and economic growth.