Nigeria is set to launch its most ambitious digital infrastructure project yet—a 90,000km national fiber optic network aimed at breaking the dominance of mobile operators and reviving the country’s struggling internet service providers (ISPs). Dubbed Project Bridge, the $2 billion initiative will create a 125,000km open-access backbone, linking all 774 local government areas and providing ISPs with critical middle-mile infrastructure. Backed by 11 state governments waiving right-of-way fees and funded through a public-private partnership, the project promises to boost competition and expand fixed broadband access nationwide. However, challenges remain. Past government fiber projects have underperformed, and critics warn that without last-mile metro fiber (connections from main networks to individual users), smaller ISPs may still struggle. With Nigeria’s fixed broadband sector shrinking fast, Project Bridge could be a lifeline for the country’s ISPs.
techcabal