The Federal Government is set to launch a $2 billion nationwide fibre optic infrastructure project in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.

Speaking during an interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking President Bola Tinubu's second year in office, Tijani revealed that the ambitious project, dubbed 'Project Bridge,' will deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable across the country.

"We are preparing a $2 billion investment to ensure every Nigerian can access affordable, high-quality connectivity regardless of location. Increasing connectivity hubs by just 10% could yield a 2.5% GDP growth," Tijani stated.

The Minister highlighted significant growth in Nigeria's digital sector under President Tinubu's administration, with foreign direct investment (FDI) reaching $191 million in the first quarter of 2024—a ninefold increase from the $22 million recorded in the same period of 2023.

"The trend continued in Q2, increasing from $25 million in 2023 to $114 million in 2024," he added.

Digital Skills Development and AI Readiness

Tijani also provided updates on the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme launched in October 2023. The initiative has already trained over 117,000 Nigerians in digital skills, far exceeding its initial target of 30,000. With an additional 35,000 currently in training, the programme is approaching 10% of its ultimate goal of equipping three million Nigerians with technical skills.

The Minister celebrated Nigeria's ranking among the world's top 60 countries for artificial intelligence readiness and the development of a homegrown large language model (LLM). He also highlighted the launch of the AI Collective platform, supported by partners including Pierre Omidyar, Google, and Microsoft.

For the first time in Nigeria, the ministry has funded 55 academic researchers to explore technology applications in agriculture, healthcare, and education. Additionally, ₦300 million has been invested in 10 startups using AI and blockchain to enhance agricultural productivity.

Bridging Connectivity Gaps

To address rural connectivity challenges, Tijani projected that 7,000 telecom towers would be deployed across the country, targeting 98% nationwide coverage. He noted that the Federal Executive Council has already approved this project.

The Minister described progress on Right-of-Way issues as a "game-changer" for the country, revealing that 12 states have adopted zero-rated Right-of-Way policies. These efforts support the National Broadband Plan's goal of achieving 90% penetration by 2025, up from the current 48%.

Tijani projected that the digital sector's contribution to Nigeria's GDP would rise from 16% to 22%, stating: "If a sector can increase its contribution by three to four per cent to the GDP, we're about to see economic growth—we've not seen it before. Technology allows us to break the gap between governments and the people."

The Minister emphasized that the government is focused on long-term results rather than quick wins. "The results we want to provide for Nigeria are long-lasting reforms that will transform our economy for generations to come," he concluded.