The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a $200 million loan to support Nigeria’s digital infrastructure expansion and job creation initiatives across the country.
The approval was contained in a statement published on the Bank’s website on Saturday.
According to the AfDB, the facility will finance the Digital Value Chain Infrastructure for Boosting Employment (D-VIBE) Project, a flagship programme aimed at closing connectivity gaps and strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and West Africa’s largest market, is expected to benefit from improved broadband access, productivity gains, and expanded employment opportunities under the project.
The AfDB said the initiative will expand Nigeria’s national fibre backbone from about 30,000 kilometres to approximately 120,000 kilometres, connecting all 774 Local Government Areas.
The expanded network will link schools, health facilities, agro-industrial zones, rural communities, and commercial centres to high-speed broadband services, while also establishing cross-border fibre connections with Benin, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad to deepen regional digital integration.
The project, also known as Project BRIDGE, is structured as a public-private partnership through a Special Purpose Vehicle designed to accelerate implementation and attract private investment. Public sector ownership will range between 25 and 49 per cent, while private sector participation will account for 51 to 75 per cent.
The AfDB loan is part of an $800 million sovereign financing package, alongside $500 million from the World Bank and $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Total project financing is estimated at $2 billion, with additional support from private investors and development partners. It also includes an EU grant of €22 million and a $2.6 million project preparation grant from the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance.
The project is projected to generate up to 2.8 million jobs over its lifecycle and increase Nigeria’s broadband penetration from 45 per cent to about 70 per cent by 2030.
AfDB’s Director-General for Nigeria, Abdul Kamara, said the initiative would unlock opportunities across multiple sectors.
“From the north to the south, from farms to factories to classrooms, this investment will make high-speed connectivity a reality for every Nigerian community,” he said.
Kamara added that the project would equip young Nigerians with digital tools for sustainable livelihoods, while also addressing barriers to digital adoption through affordable devices, large-scale skills development, and support for digital platforms.
He further noted that the initiative would strengthen cybersecurity, enhance market competition, and promote the use of renewable energy to ensure resilience and sustainability.
The project aligns with Nigeria’s Vision 2050, the National Development Plan, and the Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the AfDB’s 10-Year Strategy (2024–2033), which prioritises inclusive growth and sustainable development across Africa.
