The African Development Bank has approved a US$200 million loan to support Nigeria’s “Project Bridge,” a major initiative aimed at expanding digital infrastructure and boosting employment across Africa’s most populous nation.
The financing forms part of a broader $800 million sovereign package for the project, which seeks to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre optic cable nationwide to improve high-speed internet connectivity.
The project, also known as the Digital Value Chain Infrastructure for Boosting Employment (D-VIBE), is designed to address long-standing connectivity gaps and support economic productivity, particularly in underserved areas.
Speaking on the development, Abdul Kamara, Director General of the bank’s Nigeria office, said the initiative would provide critical infrastructure needed to unlock the country’s economic potential.
“Nigeria has the talent, the market, and the ambition; what it has lacked is the backbone infrastructure to connect that potential to opportunity,” he said, adding that the project would extend high-speed connectivity across communities, from rural areas to urban centres.
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“From the north to the south, from farms to factories to classrooms, this investment will make high-speed connectivity a reality for every Nigerian community and give young people the tools to build their futures digitally,” he added.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has faced persistent challenges in broadband penetration, with significant disparities between urban and rural access. Authorities say expanding fibre infrastructure is critical to supporting the country’s growing digital economy, improving service delivery, and fostering innovation.
The AfDB loan complements financing secured from other international partners earlier this year. In February, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced additional funding commitments, including $500 million from the World Bank and $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
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The project has also attracted support from the European Union, including a €45 million package for digital public services and €5 million earmarked for Nigeria’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, which aims to develop digital skills among the country’s workforce.
According to the AfDB, Project Bridge is being implemented through collaboration among multiple development finance institutions, working to align technical design, feasibility studies and funding arrangements.
Analysts say the initiative reflects a growing push by African governments and international lenders to prioritise digital infrastructure as a driver of economic growth and job creation, particularly among young populations.
By expanding broadband access, the project is expected to support sectors ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to education and financial services, while enabling greater participation in the global digital economy.
Despite the optimism, challenges remain, including execution risks, regulatory hurdles and ensuring affordability of services once infrastructure is deployed.
Still, development partners say the scale of the investment underscores confidence in Nigeria’s long-term digital transformation agenda and its potential to serve as a regional hub for technology-driven growth.
