Nigeria to spend $6.1 million on consultants for national fibre project

Nigeria will spend $6.1 million on seven consulting firms and five individual consultants to support the rollout of its national fibre expansion project, according to a World Bank procurement report released on March 17, 2026. 

The engagements form part of the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE) Project, a $2 billion initiative aimed at significantly expanding the country’s broadband backbone.

The consulting contracts, spanning transaction advisory, legal compliance, technical planning, and capacity development, highlight both the complexity of the BRIDGE project and the government’s reliance on external expertise. The initiative seeks to expand Nigeria’s fibre-optic network from 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres,  nearly a fourfold increase that could transform Internet access nationwide.

According to the procurement plan, the largest individual contracts are valued at $1.5 million each. One,  for a transaction advisor, was signed on February 20, 2026. The other will fund university-led national digital economy research clusters; procurement began in March 2026 and is ongoing. These roles are expected to shape both the project’s financial structuring and its long-term innovation ecosystem.

Other advisory roles cover key critical areas of implementation. A $750,000 legal and regulatory compliance contract was signed on February 19, 2026, reflecting the need to navigate Nigeria’s complex regulatory environment. Another $850,000 has been earmarked for technical planning and infrastructure advisory services, though that procurement process, which began in July 2025, is yet to be concluded.

Additional contracts include $750,000 for environmental and social impact advisory, $300,000 for supply chain and procurement strategy, and $150,000 for a baseline skills and capacity needs assessment, alongside the design of a national training programme. Most of these engagements remain at various stages of procurement, indicating that the project is still in its preparatory phase.

The project has also allocated $348,000 for five individual consultants. A contract for the BRIDGE implementation unit’s project coordinator was signed on September 30, 2025, while two roles—a legal and administrative manager and a network planning and technical lead, valued at $72,000 and $96,000—have been cancelled. Contracts for a procurement lead and a grievance redress mechanism specialist are still in progress.

The procurement plan, covering July 2025 to December 2026, will be managed through the World Bank’s Systematic Tracking and Exchanges in Procurement (STEP) platform. In line with procurement regulations revised in September 2023, the system will oversee all transactions to ensure transparency and compliance with international standards. For contracts targeting the domestic market, Nigeria’s national procurement procedures may also apply.

Although relatively small compared with the overall project cost, the consulting spend represents a critical early investment. Large-scale infrastructure projects typically require detailed feasibility studies, regulatory alignment, and environmental assessments before construction begins. In Nigeria’s case, these preparatory steps are particularly important given infrastructure gaps, right-of-way challenges, and a fragmented policy environment.

The BRIDGE project has already secured approximately $1.123 billion in funding commitments from development partners. The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) is providing $500 million in concessional financing under a pay-for-results model, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has approved a $100 million investment. The European Union has also contributed €22 million ($23.76 million) as part of a broader digital economy support package.

On the domestic side, the federal government has approved a $1 billion loan for the project, included in its 2025/2026 borrowing plan and national budget. Additional funding is still being mobilised, with at least $1.1 billion expected from private investors. Multilateral institutions, including the African Development Bank, the Africa Finance Corporation, and the Islamic Development Bank, are also in discussions to provide further financing.

Disbursement of funds, particularly from the World Bank, will be tied to measurable milestones. An initial $6 million tranche is expected in 2026 to establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to oversee the project. Subsequent releases will depend on progress, including the rollout of the first 5,000 kilometres of fibre and later expansion targets of up to 90,000 kilometres.