Nigeria's APC Chair Announces 90,000km Fibre Project by 2028

The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to deploy 90,000 kilometers of open-access fibre across all 36 states by 2028 as part of Project BRIDGE, a digital infrastructure initiative aimed at expanding broadband connectivity. Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, announced this during a virtual session with Chief Executive Officers in the IT sector.

The project will increase Nigeria’s fibre backbone from approximately 35,000 kilometers to 125,000 kilometers, connecting over 200,000 schools, health facilities, and other public institutions. The physical rollout is scheduled to commence in October 2026, with the project timeline reduced from five years to three years.

About $800 million in sovereign financing has been secured, including $500 million from the World Bank, $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and $200 million from the African Development Bank, along with a €22 million grant from the European Union. Yilwatda emphasized the need for actual implementation beyond policy announcements, stating that an additional $1.2 billion is required from private capital to complete the project’s financing.