The World Bank and some global development and financial partners are partnering with Nigeria to deliver a landmark 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic cable project aimed at transforming the country’s digital infrastructure and powering broad-based economic growth.
The Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Anshula Kant, made this known on Wednesday after leading a high-powered delegation to a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Also present at the meeting were Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and his Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy counterpart, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
Speaking to newsmen after the executive engagement, Kant said the World Bank was fully committed to supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, as well as broader macroeconomic reforms being implemented under President Tinubu’s leadership.
According to her: “One of the biggest forthcoming projects we are partnering on is in the digital space, providing broadband access across the country. We also have ongoing collaborations in agribusiness, energy, education, health and social protection. Nigeria is a very valuable partner for the World Bank Group, and we believe our priorities are strongly aligned”.
Lauding the Tinubu administration’s bold economic reforms, she said Nigeria was already witnessing momentum from the policies being pursued.
“I congratulated the President for embarking on such ambitious macroeconomic reforms and staying the course. These are not easy, but they are already showing strong results,” she added.
Kant also enumerated the Bank’s overarching mission of eradicating poverty on a livable planet through accelerated growth and better job opportunities for young people.
According to her, growth requires a foundation of both physical and human capital — including access to digital services, energy, improved education, and healthcare.
On his part, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, described the fibre optic cable initiative as one of the largest of its kind globally, structured through a sustainable and commercially viable financing model.
“This 90,000-kilometre fibre project is a landmark, and the World Bank is a major partner. It is self-financing and structured to ensure the users of the infrastructure will pay for its services, making it highly viable”.
He said the partnership underscored Nigeria’s strategy for achieving sustained, inclusive growth that creates quality jobs and lifts millions out of poverty.
“There is consensus around the need to focus on agriculture, infrastructure like digital connectivity, and affordable access to finance, particularly for SMEs. This is the path to national growth and transformation,” he stressed.
Also speaking, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said the fibre-optic initiative was designed to be future-facing and growth-driven.
According to him: “We’re laying 90,000 kilometres of fibre across Nigeria — with rings across geopolitical zones and full state coverage. It is about solving connectivity once and for all. We want every home, office, school, and hospital to have access to fibre-based broadband”.
Tijani said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already approved the initiative, which is being implemented through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with funding support from the World Bank and private investors.
His words: “The World Bank is helping structure this project through an SPV where government is investing, but the private sector will hold 51% equity and run it independently. This will ensure sustainability and proper management”.
He emphasized that the project would not only expand digital access but also underpin Nigeria’s broader development objectives in agriculture, healthcare, education, and the creative economy.
“There’s evidence that a 10% improvement in broadband quality can increase GDP by 1.35%. There are very few investments with that kind of return. The President is focused on growth, and this is exactly the type of infrastructure that supports that goal,” he noted.
The Minister further disclosed that the project design was complete and would be made public in the coming months to allow Nigerians see how the network will be laid and how communities will benefit.
He gave an assurance that implementation could commence before the end of 2025.
President Tinubu, Tijani said, remains committed to building resilient, growth-oriented infrastructure that positions Nigeria for long-term competitiveness.
“Mr. President has made it clear — we must invest in infrastructure that allows our economy to grow and thrive,” he further explained.
Deji Elumoye
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