Nigeria has earmarked $6.1 million for external consultants to support the rollout of its national fibre expansion project, according to a World Bank procurement report released on March 17, 2026.
The funding will cover seven consulting firms and five individual experts engaged across key areas of the project.
The engagements are 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 covering transaction advisory, legal compliance, technical planning, and capacity development underscore both the scale of the project and the government’s reliance on external expertise. The plan targets an expansion of Nigeria’s fibre-optic network from 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres, a near fourfold increase that could reshape internet access nationwide.
According to the procurement plan, the largest contracts are valued at $1.5 million each. One, for a transaction advisor, was signed on February 20, 2026. The other, intended to support university-led national digital economy research clusters, entered procurement in March 2026 and remains ongoing. Both roles are expected to influence the project’s financial structure and long-term innovation capacity.
Other advisory roles focus on key implementation areas. A $750,000 contract for legal and regulatory compliance was signed on February 19, 2026, reflecting the complexity of Nigeria’s regulatory landscape. An additional $850,000 has been earmarked for technical planning and infrastructure advisory services, although that process, which began in July 2025, is yet to be concluded.
Further allocations 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 assessment alongside the design of a national training programme. Most of these contracts are still at various stages of procurement, indicating the project remains in a preparatory phase.
The project has also set aside $348,000 for five individual consultants. A contract for the BRIDGE implementation unit’s project coordinator was signed on September 30, 2025. However, two roles a legal and administrative manager and a network planning and technical lead, valued at $72,000 and $96,000 respectively have been cancelled. Recruitment for a procurement lead and a grievance redress mechanism specialist is ongoing.
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. The system, aligned with procurement regulations revised in September 2023, is expected to ensure transparency and compliance with international standards. For contracts targeted at the domestic market, Nigeria’s national procurement procedures may also apply.
While relatively small compared to the total project cost, the consulting spend represents a critical early-stage investment. Large infrastructure projects typically require extensive feasibility studies, regulatory alignment, and environmental assessments before construction begins factors that are especially relevant in Nigeria, where right-of-way constraints, infrastructure gaps, and policy fragmentation persist.
The BRIDGE project has secured approximately $1.123 billion in funding commitments from development partners. The World Bank’s International Development Association will provide $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 broader digital economy support.
On the domestic front, 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 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 participate.
Disbursement of funds particularly from the World Bank will be tied to performance milestones. An initial $6 million tranche is expected in 2026 to establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to oversee the project. Subsequent disbursements will depend on measurable progress, including the rollout of the first 5,000 kilometres of fibre and later expansion targets of up to 90,000 kilometres.