FG to Begin 90,000km Fibre Rollout in October, Says Minister

The Federal Government will begin the implementation of its 90,000-kilometre nationwide fibre-optic network project in October, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has said.

Tijani disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the National Innovation Hub Standards Framework Workshop.

He said funding for the project had been secured, paving the way for the commencement of physical deployment.

According to him, the project would significantly expand Nigeria’s broadband backbone and improve connectivity, particularly in underserved communities.

The minister said the fibre network would cover every state, geopolitical zone, local government area and ward across the country.

He described the project as one of the major digital infrastructure investments under the Federal Government’s plan to deepen connectivity and accelerate Nigeria’s digital economy.

Tijani said the network was expected to become one of the longest fibre-optic networks in Africa, ranking between those of South Africa and Egypt.

The project, known as Project BRIDGE, or Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth, is being supported by financing from development partners.

The World Bank approved $500 million in financing in 2025, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development committed $100 million alongside a €22 million European Union grant. The African Development Bank also approved $200 million in April 2026 for a digital infrastructure project incorporating Project BRIDGE.

Tijani said expanding fibre infrastructure formed part of a broader strategy to provide the foundation for Nigeria’s digital economy, alongside investments in power, telecommunications towers, satellites and data centres.

He added that the Federal Government would also begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to improve mobile network coverage in underserved communities.

The minister said the tower project was expected to provide connectivity for more than 20 million Nigerians currently without reliable network access.