EU Commits Extra €45m To Boost Nigeria’s Digital Future
In a move that underscores Nigeria’s rising profile as Africa’s digital powerhouse, the European Union has announced an additional €45 million investment to accelerate the country’s digital transformation.
The fresh funding, unveiled at the EU–Nigeria Digital Open Day in Brussels, strengthens an already robust partnership aimed at expanding connectivity, enhancing digital governance and equipping Nigerian youth with future-ready skills.
The agreement was signed between Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela.
Síkela said the EU’s support is rooted in its belief that digital technologies must “truly enrich human lives,” stressing that the new package will advance secure digital services and youth-focused skill development.
Dr Tijani highlighted the shared vision behind the collaboration, noting that initiatives like Project Bridge, Nigeria’s ambitious plan to deploy 90,000km of fibre-optic backbone, offer European investors unprecedented entry into Africa’s largest digital market.
With Nigeria’s strong showing in artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure and its “3 Million Technical Talents” programme, he said the country has become a prime destination where “talent, demand and policy alignment converge.”
The new EU grant will support detailed network design, local workforce development and supply chain mobilisation, ultimately helping to expand Nigeria’s fibre network to 125,000km, one of the longest in Africa.
Beyond connectivity, the investment will also support the modernisation of Nigeria’s public administration with safer and more user-friendly digital services, while strengthening nationwide digital skills training to prepare technicians, engineers, and IT specialists for emerging opportunities.
Digitalisation remains a central pillar of the €820 million EU-Nigeria Digital Economy Package, first launched in 2022.
With Nigeria home to six of Africa’s eight unicorns and the continent’s largest e-commerce market, the EU says it is committed to supporting a sector that is already creating jobs, attracting investment and driving innovation at scale.
The funding forms part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in sustainable investments worldwide between 2021 and 2027.
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