The Nigerian government announced Wednesday that raising the $2 billion needed to fund a nationwide fibre optic cable project, covering 90,000 km, could take up to 18 months. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, revealed this while attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The project aims to expand Nigeria’s current fibre network from 35,000 km to 125,000 km, making it the third-longest terrestrial fibre optic backbone in Africa, behind Egypt and South Africa. Tijani acknowledged that while the project is ambitious, its scale and long-term impact on Nigeria’s digital infrastructure justify the effort.
“We are working on laying 90,000 km of fibre optic cable across Nigeria. I’ll be naive to expect people to start praising me on that in the first 12 months because that’s a project that’ll probably take 18 months to put the $2 billion together. And the actual laying of the fibre will take another two to three years,” Tijani explained in an interview with Arise TV.
The African Development Bank has already pledged $200 million towards the project, with additional backing expected from the World Bank, the African Export-Import Bank, and the United States Export-Import Bank. However, raising the full amount will be a long-term process, according to the minister.
In a January 2024 white paper, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy stressed the importance of expanding Nigeria’s broadband access. The national fibre optic project is part of a broader strategy to boost internet connectivity and achieve a 70 percent broadband penetration target by 2025.
Despite the potential benefits, the project faces significant challenges, including right-of-way charges and multiple taxation from state governments, which could delay progress. Stakeholders have raised concerns about these issues, but Tijani remains optimistic.
“I’m not going to say I won’t work on a project like this because there’s poverty in the land, and the projection is in the short to medium term,” Tijani said, pointing out that projects of this nature are essential for long-term development.
In addition to the fibre optic expansion, Tijani is also focused on collaborations to enhance Nigeria’s digital economy. He revealed partnerships with organisations like the MasterCard Foundation and Cisco to support technology initiatives, with the United Nations also providing backing.
“Nigeria is now represented in all these conversations,” Tijani stated, referring to the country’s increased presence in global tech discussions. He expressed confidence that these efforts will yield significant benefits, particularly for underserved communities.
The minister also highlighted the government’s commitment to training skilled personnel through a three-million-strong technical talent programme, which aims to equip Nigerians for jobs in the technology sector. Many participants in the programme have already begun securing employment, demonstrating the potential of the country’s growing tech ecosystem.
“My role as a technology minister is to be futuristic and build things that can quickly get us out of [poverty],” Tijani said, underscoring his commitment to bridging the digital divide and fostering inclusive growth.
