The European Union (EU) has announced a €22 million grant to support Nigeria’s ambitious “Project BRIDGE,” a nationwide initiative to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cables.
The grant was awarded to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to be passed on to Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. The funding was formalized Thursday during an official visit to Abuja by EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso.
Funding and Infrastructure Goals
The €22 million grant is designed to complement a larger financial package, including a pending €86 million ($100 million) loan from the EBRD. Other major international partners, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), are also providing sovereign loans to support the project.
The total investment aims to establish and capitalize a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)—a public-private partnership where the private sector will hold a 51% stake—to manage the rollout. Once complete, Project BRIDGE will expand Nigeria’s digital backbone from 35,000km to 125,000km, making it one of the largest terrestrial fibre networks in Africa.
Technical and Economic Impact
The EU grant will be split between technical assistance and investment support:
- Design & Planning: Financing the Low-Level Design (LLD) for the first 40,000km, including route surveys and security risk assessments.
- Cost Reduction: Targeted subsidies and pooled procurement for subcontractors are expected to lower rollout costs by 20% to 30%.
- Job Creation & Skills: The program will train 2,000 Nigerian technicians to build and maintain the network.
Official Responses
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, emphasized that 2026 is a “year of delivery” for the project.
”We recognize this signing as an important part of our efforts to deliver Project BRIDGE on time,” Tijani said. “I am particularly grateful for our ongoing cooperation with the EU.”
EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso noted that the operation is the bank’s first high-profile sovereign move in Nigeria since the country became a shareholder last year. She highlighted that the project is built to attract private investment while ensuring “inclusive, resilient, and cyber-secure connectivity.”
EU Ambassador Gautier Mignot added that the partnership reflects Nigeria’s growing status as a “world reference” for digital infrastructure, noting that the network will operate under the highest international standards for reliability and integrity.