World Bank Nigeria broadband project gains momentum as the bank supports Tinubu’s 90,000km national fibre-optic rollout plan with $500 million in development funding

The World Bank has confirmed its support for the Nigeria broadband project, which aims to expand the national fibre-optic backbone from 35,000km to 125,000km.

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World Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Anshula Kant, gave the assurance during her first official visit to Abuja since President Tinubu took office.

She described the broadband initiative as one of the largest digital infrastructure projects in the world.

“We are working very, very closely together with this,” Kant told journalists after meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa.

She praised the administration’s reforms and described Nigeria as a “very, very valuable and important partner.”

According to Kant, the World Bank already manages a $9 billion programme in Nigeria, covering energy, agriculture, health, education and social protection.

She said the broadband rollout fits the World Bank’s mission of poverty eradication through inclusive development.

The World Bank Nigeria broadband project will receive at least \$500 million in support from the multilateral lender, alongside other development financiers.

Finance Minister Wale Edun said the plan is being structured as a self-financing special-purpose vehicle.

He explained that the user sectors will fund and maintain the infrastructure through service fees.

“It is geared at the sector which will make use of the facility, pay for it and therefore make the project highly viable,” he told reporters.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, called it a “once-and-for-all” investment that will provide fibre connections to homes, schools and hospitals across every state.

He noted that the Federal Government will retain a minority share while the private sector will provide 51 per cent of the funding.

The project will operate independently of government control.

“We can’t become smarter with agriculture, scale education or deliver modern healthcare without good connectivity,” Tijani said.

He added that broadband growth could raise GDP by up to 1.35 percentage points for every 10 per cent improvement in quality.

Tijani also confirmed that route maps are nearly complete and that ground-breaking could begin by the end of the year.

The design includes a ring system connecting all geopolitical zones, with fibre extending to local areas.

Nigerians often complain about poor service, but the minister said quality is limited by insufficient infrastructure.

He stressed that the project will change that, ensuring access to fast and stable broadband in every community.

The World Bank Nigeria broadband project forms part of a wider programme that includes $1.5 billion for power-sector recovery and $700 million for adolescent girls’ education.

Future collaborations will target agribusiness, renewable energy and small business financing.

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Kant reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to “creating better jobs, stronger systems and more inclusive access to digital services.”