Broadband expansion: World Bank, Nigeria to raise $3bln – Tijani

Nigeria and the World Bank are collaborating to raise $3 billion for the construction of additional internet infrastructure and expansion in the country, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, has revealed.

An additional 120,000 km of fibre optic cables will be installed nationwide as part of the expansion.

He spoke at a stakeholders conference in Abuja with the topic, “Realising a Nigerian Vision of Broadband for Everyone.”

He was hopeful that in the following two to three years, the cash would be raised.

The minister stated that several private sector players would be involved in the partnership with the World Bank, adding that the project is expected to be completed within the next three years.

According to him, the government is looking to invest in the digital backbone to guarantee that all Nigerians have cheap access to the internet.

Tijani emphasized how critical it is to draw in capital to support the broadband infrastructure, noting that it is essential to the functioning of the internet.

According to him, Nigeria has already installed 3,035 km of fibre optic cables, but 120,000 km more are still needed in order to give the country’s citizens reliable access to the internet and other digital services.

The project’s first stage, according to Mr. Franz Drees-Gross, Regional Director of the World Bank for Infrastructure in West and Central Africa, would entail installing 95,000 km of fibre optic cables to improve the nation’s access to digital services and information.

Drees-Gross praised Nigeria’s thriving digital economy and said the World Bank would help the nation raise the necessary capital for this game-changing initiative.

In order to provide internet to additional areas of Nigeria, he said, plans called for the establishment of a digital National internet fund and the middle-mile cable to be deployed.