EU Backs FG’s Broadband Expansion with €14m Grant

The Federal Government has secured a €14 million grant supported by the European Union (EU) to advance plans for a nationwide fibre-optic network aimed at expanding broadband access across Nigeria.

The grant agreement was signed in Abuja on Wednesday by the Federal Government, the EU and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which will administer the funding.

The support will cover project scoping, fibre-optic network design, project preparation and capacity-building activities for the proposed infrastructure programme.

The project targets the deployment of approximately 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure nationwide. The network is expected to improve access to affordable internet services and support digital development, particularly in areas where connectivity remains limited.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Abubakar Bagudu welcomed the agreement, describing the partnership as an important step towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and supporting broader economic development.

Bagudu said the grant would provide more than technical support for the network’s design. It would also help build institutional capacity, strengthen local expertise and facilitate knowledge transfer needed for effective implementation.

He said the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning would coordinate and oversee the grant, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy would lead technical implementation through its established project structures.

Permanent Secretary of the Budget and Economic Planning Ministry, Deborah Odoh, said the agreement demonstrated the government’s commitment to working with development partners to improve infrastructure and implementation capacity.

European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Nigeria on digital development through investment and coordinated project delivery.

The fibre-optic programme forms part of broader efforts to improve connectivity, reduce digital exclusion and support economic activity through better access to internet services.

If implemented as planned, the network could provide the infrastructure needed to connect underserved communities, businesses, schools, healthcare facilities and public institutions.

The government says the partnership will support Nigeria’s digital transformation while strengthening the technical and institutional capacity required to sustain the investment over the long term.