Nigeria, EU, EBRD Sign €14m Grant for 90,000km Fibre-Optic Network

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian government has signed a €14 million grant agreement with the European Union (EU) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to support the development of a nationwide 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic network aimed at expanding broadband access and strengthening the country’s digital economy.

The agreement, signed in Abuja on Wednesday, will fund project scoping, fibre-optic network design, project preparation and capacity building ahead of the proposed deployment of the infrastructure.

The initiative, supported by the EU and administered by the EBRD, is expected to improve access to affordable broadband, strengthen digital services and promote inclusive economic growth by expanding the infrastructure needed to connect businesses, households and public institutions across the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Abubakar Bagudu, described the partnership as an important intervention in advancing Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and broader economic development priorities.

Mr Bagudu said the grant would support not only the technical design and preparation of the project but also institutional development, capacity building and knowledge transfer, which he identified as essential to effective implementation and the long-term sustainability of investments in digital infrastructure.

He explained that the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning would coordinate and oversee the grant, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy would share responsibility for technical implementation through established project coordination and implementation structures.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Deborah Odoh, described the agreement as a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and implementation capacity.

Mrs Odoh said the ministry would execute the grant agreement on behalf of the Federal Government, while the communications ministry would oversee technical implementation through its project implementation units.

The EU representative to Nigeria, Mr Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to deepening its digital partnership with Nigeria through investment and collaboration, stressing the importance of timely project implementation in achieving the initiative’s objectives.

The agreement comes as Nigeria seeks to expand broadband penetration and reduce connectivity gaps that constrain access to digital services, electronic commerce and other technology-driven economic activities.

A nationwide fibre-optic backbone could provide the high-capacity transmission infrastructure required to connect telecommunications networks, improve internet service delivery and support the expansion of digital services beyond major urban centres.

For businesses, wider and more reliable broadband access could support digital payments, cloud-based operations, online commerce and other technology-enabled services, while improved connectivity could expand access to education, healthcare and public services.

However, the grant agreement primarily covers project preparation, design and capacity building. The actual deployment of the proposed 90,000-kilometre network will depend on subsequent implementation, financing and infrastructure delivery arrangements.

The federal government said the partnership reflected its commitment to international cooperation, institutional capacity development and strategic investments aimed at expanding digital connectivity and driving inclusive economic growth.