The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to commence the deployment of a 90,000km fibre optic network across the country, a project aimed at boosting the nation's digital economy. The initiative, tagged Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth), is designed to extend the country's fibre backbone from about 35,000km to roughly 125,000km. This project is a public-private partnership that aims to reach unserved and underserved areas, covering all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local government areas.
The project, which is expected to connect roughly 40 million unserved citizens, aims to lower internet costs and boost overall per capita economic productivity. According to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, expanding fibre is part of a broader strategy to build the foundational infrastructure required for Nigeria's digital economy. Tijani noted that technology had become critical to productivity in sectors ranging from agriculture to healthcare and education.
The deployment of the climate-resilient fibre-optic cables is expected to commence in October, with the project hoped to be either the third or second longest fibre optic network on the African continent. The project has received funding from multiple development partners, including a $500 million financing from the World Bank, $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and a €22 million European Union grant.
Despite the optimism surrounding the project, industry stakeholders have raised concerns that unless addressed, the initiative may not achieve anticipated success. One of the major issues is the Right-of-Way (RoW) charges and multiple permit requirements, which can create barriers to infrastructure deployment, particularly in rural areas. The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), state governors, and telecom operators are working to resolve these issues.
Another major challenge facing the project is the prevention of infrastructure from being vandalized or damaged. Over the years, attacks on telecommunications infrastructure, including vandalism and fibre cuts, have been a threat to the reliability of telecom services. The government will need to address these challenges to ensure the successful implementation of the 90,000km fibre-optic project.
In addition to the fibre deployment, the government plans to deploy about 3,700 telecom towers to communities currently without network coverage. Nigeria's communications satellite will also be renewed to extend connectivity to areas where towers and terrestrial infrastructure cannot easily reach. The expansion of the fibre deployment is part of a broader strategy to build the foundational infrastructure required for Nigeria's digital economy.
The successful implementation of the project is expected to have a positive impact on Nigeria's socio-economic aspect, with the potential to boost digital connectivity and economic productivity. The project is also expected to complement the fibre deployment with last-mile FTTH connections to homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. Addressing the challenges facing the project will be crucial to ensuring that Nigeria fully realizes the benefits of improved connectivity for its rural communities.
Key points
- The project aims to deploy 90,000km of additional fibre across Nigeria, extending the country's fibre backbone from about 35,000km to roughly 125,000km.
- The project has received funding from multiple development partners, including a $500 million financing from the World Bank and $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
- The successful implementation of the project is expected to have a positive impact on Nigeria's socio-economic aspect, with the potential to boost digital connectivity and economic productivity.
