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…grant to accelerate 90,000km broadband expansion under Project BRIDGE

By Gloria Ikibah

The European Union has announced a €22 million grant to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support Nigeria’s nationwide fibre-optic expansion, marking a significant step forward for the Federal Government’s BRIDGE project.

The funding will be on-grant to Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and will sit alongside an €86 million loan from the EBRD’s own resources, subject to final approval in the weeks ahead.

The agreement represents the EBRD’s first high-profile sovereign operation in Nigeria since the country became a shareholder in the Bank last year. It was formalised during a visit to Nigeria by EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso.

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosu Tijani, said: “We recognise this signing as an important part of our efforts to deliver Project BRIDGE on time. I am particularly grateful for our ongoing cooperation with the EU, and their commitment to a higher level of engagement this year. We look forward to ensuring that 2026 will be a year of delivery on this and other areas of cooperation with the EU.”

Renaud-Basso described the initiative as a milestone in the Bank’s growing engagement with Nigeria. “We are proud to join forces with the EU to advance the deployment of digital infrastructure in Nigeria. This Technical Cooperation is strengthening a project designed to catalyse private sector investment and deliver inclusive, resilient and cyber secure connectivity across the country,” she said.

The EU’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, emphasised the strategic dimension of the partnership.

“Digital has emerged as one of the strategic areas of partnership between Nigeria and the EU. Both Nigeria and the European Union share the critical importance of trusted and resilient networks, with the highest level of integrity and reliability, operating at the highest international standards. This is critical area for citizens and businesses alike where Nigeria is already fast becoming a world reference and a formidable country to partner with,” he stated.

The €22 million grant is designed to complement sovereign loans expected from the EBRD, the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The combined financing will support the creation and capitalisation of a Special Purpose Vehicle tasked with rolling out 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure under Project BRIDGE.

The EBRD’s €86 million loan which is equivalent to around US$100 million, will include conditions relating to cybersecurity safeguards and open-access compliance.

The EU grant package blends technical assistance with an investment component aimed at accelerating preparation and strengthening implementation capacity. Technical support will fund the Low-Level Design for the first 40,000 kilometres of network, covering route and crossing surveys, digitised planning, quality assurance and security risk assessments aligned with core EU digital standards.

Once financing is secured and the Special Purpose Vehicle is established with 51 per cent private sector participation, the groundwork is expected to allow construction to commence without delay.

In addition, the EU funding will support the training of 2,000 technicians, targeted equipment subsidies and pooled procurement mechanisms for smaller subcontractors. These measures are projected to cut deployment costs by between 20 and 30 per cent, reinforce compliance with Nigerian and EU quality benchmarks, and encourage greater participation from European technology suppliers within the fibre-optic value chain.