*Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, describes the 90,000 km fibre optic project to drive the emerging Nigeria Digital Economy as the most ambitious and foundational digital infrastructure project in the country’s history

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Federal Government has unveiled the technical blueprint for activation of its “Project BRIDGE”, a transformative national infrastructure initiative for the deployment of 90,000km of fibre-optic cable across Nigeria.

绿帽献妻 reports Dr. Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), disclosed this development at a stakeholder engagement forum in Lagos.

Tijani described the last-mile Broadband infrastructure initiative as the most ambitious and foundational digital infrastructure project in Nigeria鈥檚 history.

What’s Project BRIDGE about?

Dr. Tijani said: 鈥淧roject BRIDGE is a critical pillar in the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu鈥檚 Renewed Hope Agenda. This is about more than fibre; it is about inclusion.

“It is about ensuring every Nigerian, whether in a major city or rural community, can participate in and benefit from the digital economy.”

According to him, when completed, the digital infrastructure project will increase Nigeria鈥檚 national fibre footprint from the current 35,000km to 125,000km.

Government poised to enhance last-mile connectivity, says Tijani

The project will make the largest fibre backbone investment in any developing country as Nigeria, and one of the most extensive on the African continent.

It is also noted that Broadband network project is designed to be wholesale and open-access to support both large and small Internet Service Providers (ISPs) through core, metropolitan, and middle-mile layers.

The Minister also explained: 鈥淏y enabling competition and shared infrastructure, we are laying the groundwork for faster, more affordable broadband across Nigeria.”

Further highlights of Project BRIDGE include the fact that the design has seven regional backbone rings, connecting Nigeria鈥檚 six geopolitical zones and Lagos.

It was gathered these rings would form the resilient core of the network, ensuring low latency, high capacity, and redundancy, essential for stable digital services.

Besides, each of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria will be connected through dedicated Points of Presence (PoPs), forming the middle-mile network.

From these hubs, fibre will extend to thousands of administrative wards, particularly targeting schools, healthcare centres, and government facilities, to enhance last-mile connectivity.

Core objective of Project BRIDGE, by Minister

Emphasising the fundamental objective of the massive digital project, Tijani further stated: 鈥淥ur goal is to ensure that connectivity is not just in cities, but in every LGA and every ward. Digital inclusion must be universal.”

The Minister said the network architecture would be scalable and future-proof, guided by population density and usage demand, with room for expansion as technology and economic activities evolve.

According to him, the final last mile of the project will support ISPs and other service providers to deliver Internet to Nigerian consumers, homes, businesses, organisations institutions by leveraging the foundational network built through Project BRIDGE.

He disclosed the next phase of the rollout will depend heavily on inputs from public and private sector partners.

After the Nigerian Government has unveiled the blueprint for the digital project, Tijani said: 鈥淎s we move forward, we invite feedback, collaboration, and innovation from across the ecosystem.

“Together, we will bridge the digital divide and build an inclusive, future-ready economy.”

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