Business News Nigeria reported on 9 October 2026 that Nentawe Yilwatda, chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), says the federal government has secured about $800 million for Project BRIDGE, a plan for 90,000 km of new fibre by 2028. It is a party chairman’s statement, not a ministry release, and construction is scheduled, not started.
Spotted via @edetudoh20033 on X
What was reported
Reported (Business News Nigeria), a statement by Yilwatda. He spoke to technology chief executives on 7 October, and his media adviser issued the statement the next day. The government, the article says, has “secured about $800 million in sovereign financing” for “90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre-optic network across Nigeria’s 36 states by 2028” [1].
New build versus total
The article says the project would expand the fibre backbone “from approximately 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres” [1]. So 90,000 km is new build and 125,000 km is the combined total. Some headlines, including the one on the X post that led TSN here, say “125,000km” by 2028. That is not new fibre.
Where the money comes from
Yilwatda’s split: “$500 million from the World Bank, $100 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and $200 million from the African Development Bank”, plus “a €22 million grant” from the European Union [1]. Punch reported the same split on 25 September, and says a strategic communications adviser to the communications minister confirmed it. Its records show the loans approved between October 2025 and April 2026 [2]. Neither report says how much has been paid out.
Yilwatda said “approximately $1.2 billion was still required in private capital” [1]. The ministry’s project page gives a total cost of $2 billion [3].
What is scheduled, not done
The article says “Physical deployment of the fibre network is scheduled to commence in October 2026”, with completion targeted for 2028 [1]. That is a government schedule, and TSN found no report that construction has begun. Punch says the rollout was earlier targeted for late 2025 or early 2026 and deferred [2]. Yilwatda’s own line: “Announcements do not lay cable.” [1]
What this does not show
- That building has started. October is the planned month.
- Money paid out. The reports describe secured or approved financing, not disbursements.
- Private investors. About $1.2 billion is still sought; the adviser told Punch an offer was being concluded [2].
- A ministry statement. TSN found none on 9 October.
The Bottom Line
Nigeria’s ruling-party chairman says $800 million is secured for 90,000 km of new fibre, lifting the backbone to about 125,000 km. A ministry adviser confirmed the lender split to Punch. The October start is a schedule, and the private money is still to come.
Sources
- Niyi Jacobs, “Nigeria to Get 90,000km Fibre Network by 2028 as FG Secures $800m Funding — Yilwatda”, Business News Nigeria, 9 October 2026 (news report of a party chairman’s statement; source of the quotes and figures).
- Justice Okamgba, “FG targets $1.2bn private funding for fibre project”, Punch, 25 September 2026 (news report; cross-check of the financing split, with a ministry adviser’s confirmation).
- Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, “Project BRIDGE”, read 10 October 2026 (official project page; used only for the $2 billion total cost and the 90,000 km scope).
- Edet John Udoh (@edetudoh20033), post on X, 9 October 2026, 19:49 BST (the finder; its headline’s “125,000km” figure is not used).
