The Federal Government has obtained a $200 million loan from the African Development Bank Group to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre optic infrastructure across Nigeria. The African Development Bank confirmed the approval in a statement issued on Friday. The funding will support the Digital Value Chain Infrastructure for Boosting Employment (D-VIBE) Project, aimed at expanding digital connectivity. The project is expected to enhance broadband access and stimulate job creation through improved digital infrastructure. Specific implementation timelines and state-level rollout plans were not detailed in the initial announcement. The AfDB described the intervention as a strategic step toward digital transformation in Nigeria. No additional financial terms, repayment conditions, or project partners were disclosed.
The allocation of a $200 million AfDB loan for 90,000km of fibre optic infrastructure places the Federal Government at the centre of another major digital expansion effort, yet again relying on external financing to deliver core infrastructure. This is not the first time such a loan has been secured for broadband development, raising questions about the sustainability and execution of past initiatives.
The D-VIBE Project frames digital expansion as a job creation tool, but Nigeria's persistent digital divide suggests earlier projects have had limited reach. Previous fibre rollouts have struggled with vandalism, bureaucratic delays, and uneven maintenance, often benefiting urban centres while rural areas remain disconnected. The absence of details on implementation timelines, oversight mechanisms, or community engagement in this announcement echoes a pattern of grand announcements without operational clarity.
Ordinary Nigerians, especially small business owners, students, and remote workers in underserved regions, stand to gain only if this project avoids the pitfalls of its predecessors. Without secure infrastructure and transparent monitoring, the fibre may not translate into reliable internet access.
This loan fits a broader trend: successive administrations launching ambitious tech-driven initiatives through foreign funding, while domestic revenue allocation to digital infrastructure remains minimal.
