Nigeria plans massive 90,000km fibre-optic project to boost digital economy

Omeiza Bilal

The Federal Government is planning a massive 90,000km fibre-optic project to boost the country’s digital economy.

This project aims to increase Nigeria’s fibre optic cable capacity from 35,000 km to 125,000 km, making it Africa’s third-longest terrestrial fibre optic backbone, behind South Africa and Egypt.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has been actively engaged with stakeholders to advance this initiative. He believes that building connectivity infrastructure is crucial for Nigeria’s digital economy.

Key objectives of the project include the increase of broadband penetration, achieving a penetration rate of 70 per cent and population coverage of 90 per cent by 2025.

Others are improving digital economy, enhancing Nigeria’s digital infrastructure to support economic growth, reducing digital divide, bridging the gap between urban and rural areas in terms of internet access, projecting timeline and funding.

The project is expected to commence within six months ³, with a proposed 18-month fundraising period to secure the required $2 billion funding.

This project has the potential to transform Nigeria’s digital landscape, and we’ll be keeping an eye on its progress!