Nigeria’s telecommunications industry is gearing up for a major fibre-optic expansion in 2026, anchored on Project BRIDGE, a $2 billion broadband infrastructure initiative backed by the Federal Government in partnership with the World Bank.
The project, aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is designed to significantly expand the country’s fibre backbone from about 35,000 kilometres to roughly 125,000 kilometres. The expanded network is expected to improve high-speed internet access across the country, reaching underserved communities, public institutions, schools, health facilities, and all 774 local government areas.
Industry stakeholders say the programme has renewed confidence in long-term infrastructure investment following a challenging year for the sector. While economic pressures slowed network expansion efforts in 2025, rising demand for data services and clearer policy direction have encouraged renewed engagement by telecom operators.
Project BRIDGE is structured as a public–private partnership, bringing together government agencies, private sector players, and development partners to accelerate nationwide connectivity. Fibre deployment is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026, with preparatory surveys and capacity-building activities already in progress.
Funding for the initiative includes a $500 million World Bank loan to be released in phases through 2031, subject to agreed performance benchmarks. The rollout also supports Nigeria’s broader target of achieving 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2027, with the wider goal of boosting digital inclusion, productivity, and economic participation.
Telecom operators have noted that the success of the project will depend heavily on resolving long-standing challenges such as right-of-way approvals, infrastructure vandalism, and coordination across states. Addressing these issues, analysts say, could significantly lower deployment costs and speed up execution.
As the sector prepares to move from policy to implementation, expectations are high that the fibre expansion will unlock growth in data-driven services, enterprise connectivity, cloud adoption, and digital innovation across Nigeria.
