Jan 21, 2026
Nigeria’s Digital Leap: Bridging the Divide via Fiber and Space
Nigeria is entering a transformative era for its digital economy. As the nation pushes toward a $1 trillion economy, two major infrastructure milestones are making headlines today: the $2 billion BRIDGE project and the entry of global satellite giants like Amazon’s Project Kuiper into the Nigerian market.
The BRIDGE Project: A 90,000km Digital Backbone
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has confirmed that Project BRIDGE(Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth) is on track for its first physical rollout this quarter.
This ambitious initiative aims to expand Nigeria's fiber-optic network from its current 35,000 km to a staggering 125,000 km over the next five years.
Satellite Wars: Amazon vs. Starlink
While fiber cables are being laid underground, a battle for Nigeria's "digital sky" has intensified. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has officially granted a seven-year landing permit to Amazon’s Project Kuiper(recently rebranded as Amazon LEO).
In addition to Amazon, the NCC has also licensed BeetleSat and Spacecoin, specifically targeting "blind spots" in rural and peri-urban areas where traditional masts are too expensive to build.
Why This Matters Now
Nigeria's broadband penetration currently sits at approximately 50.6%, missing its original 2025 target of 70%. These two parallel tracks—underground fiber and low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites—are designed to close that gap rapidly.
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