Nigeria Gets €14m EU Grant for 90,000km Fibre Network
By Patience Ikpeme
The Federal Government of Nigeria, the European Union (EU) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on Wednesday signed a grant agreement worth up to €14 million to help prepare the country’s nationwide fibre-optic backbone project.
The signing took place in Abuja and was attended by officials of the Federal Government, the EU, the EBRD and other stakeholders. The EU is providing the money, while the EBRD will manage it.
The grant will pay for early work on the project, including scoping, the design of the fibre-optic network, general project preparation and training programmes. The plan is to lay about 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable across the country, so that more Nigerians can get internet access and the economy can grow in a way that includes more people.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, welcomed the visiting delegations and said the partnership was important for Nigeria’s digital and economic goals. He said the grant would do more than pay for technical drawings.
“This support goes beyond technical design. It will also build skills, strengthen our institutions and help us gain knowledge from our partners,” the minister said.
He said these parts of the project were necessary if it was to be carried out well, if Nigerians were to develop their own expertise, and if the investment was to last for many years.
Senator Bagudu explained how the work would be shared between two ministries. His ministry, he said, would coordinate and supervise the project, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy would share responsibility for the technical side through the agreed project structures.
He also thanked the EU and other development partners for standing with Nigeria over the years and for supporting its economic reforms. He said the Federal Government would keep working with international partners to expand digital access, build stronger institutions and promote growth that benefits all.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Deborah Odoh, described the agreement between Nigeria and the EBRD, backed by the EU, as an important step towards improving the country’s digital infrastructure and its ability to deliver projects.
“We are grateful to the European Union and the EBRD for their continued support. Government will work openly with partners and make sure the project is properly carried out,” Dr Odoh said.
She explained that her ministry would sign and manage the grant agreements for the Federal Government, while the Communications Ministry would supervise the technical work through its project implementation units.
The EU’s representative in Nigeria, Mr Massimo De Luca, said the Union was committed to strengthening its digital partnership with Nigeria and to making sure projects that support the country’s digital growth are delivered on time.
“Nigeria and its partners must keep working closely together if we are to reach our shared goals and expand digital infrastructure,” he said. He thanked the minister and all those whose efforts helped bring the partnership to this point.
A representative of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, who spoke virtually, thanked the EU delegation, Nigerian partners and other stakeholders for helping to organise the ceremony successfully.
“These agreements will strengthen cooperation between institutions, encourage new ideas, help people develop technical skills and support lasting development,” the representative said. The speaker added that the partnership showed what Nigeria and its development partners could achieve when they work together towards a common goal.
The representative said the ministry was hopeful about what the project could achieve and described it as a strong base for closer cooperation and more success in Nigeria’s digital sector.
