The European Union (EU) has granted a €22 million to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the construction of Nigeria’s fibre-optic cables under the Nigerian government-sponsored BRIDGE project.
Nigeria’s growing partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has taken a major step forward, as the bank moves to finance its first sovereign operation in the country, an €86 million loan to support the Federal Government’s nationwide fibre-optic expansion.
The financing package, announced in Abuja, will support Project BRIDGE, the government’s flagship initiative to roll out 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure across the country.
The €22 million grant from the European Union will be channelled through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and on-granted to the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, while the bank’s €86 million loan is awaiting final approval.
The transaction marks the EBRD’s first high-profile sovereign engagement in Nigeria since the country became a shareholder in the bank last year. The agreement was signed during the visit of EBRD, President Odile Renaud-Basso.
Speaking, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, described the development as a critical milestone in accelerating delivery of Project BRIDGE.
“We recognise this signing as an important part of our efforts to deliver Project BRIDGE on time. I am particularly grateful for our ongoing cooperation with the EU, and their commitment to a higher level of engagement this year. We look forward to ensuring that 2026 will be a year of delivery on this and other areas of cooperation with the EU”, he said
On her part, the President European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Odile Renaud Basso expressed her delight to be part of operation to expand Nigeria’s digital backbone.
“We are proud to join forces with the EU to advance the deployment of digital infrastructure in Nigeria. This Technical Cooperation is strengthening a project designed to catalyse private sector investment and deliver inclusive, resilient and cyber secure connectivity across the country”, she noted
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, said digital infrastructure had become a strategic pillar of EU-Nigeria relations.
” Digital has emerged as one of the strategic areas of partnership between Nigeria and the EU. Both Nigeria and the European Union share the critical importance of trusted and resilient networks, with the highest level of integrity and reliability, operating at the highest international standards. This is critical area for citizens and businesses alike where Nigeria is already fast becoming a world reference and a formidable country to partner with“, he said
The EU grant is structured to complement additional sovereign loans expected from the World Bank and the African Development Bank for the establishment and capitalisation of a Special Purpose Vehicle that will drive the fibre rollout.
The EBRD loan is expected to include conditions on cybersecurity safeguards and open-access compliance.
Beyond financing, the grant provides technical assistance to fast-track implementation. It will fund detailed low-level design for the first 40,000 kilometres of the network, including route surveys, digitised planning, quality assurance and security risk assessments aligned with EU digital principles.
The funding is expected to also build local capacity by training 2,000 technicians, offering targeted equipment subsidies and helping small subcontractors access pooled procurement and bulk discounts. Officials estimate the measures could reduce rollout costs by up to 30 per cent while ensuring adherence to both Nigerian and EU quality standards and encouraging participation by European technology vendors in the supply chain.