The World Bank is expected to approve two major loans totaling $750m for Nigeria on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
According to information available on the bank’s official website, the loans aim to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare security and expand access to climate-resilient digital infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas.
The financing package includes a $500m facility for the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth in Nigeria (BRIDGE) project and a $250m loan under the Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa, Nigeria – Phase II.
The Punch newspaper report stated that the two projects are currently listed in the World Bank’s active pipeline, with negotiations at advanced stages ahead of the scheduled board approval.
The BRIDGE project, spearheaded by Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is designed to significantly boost broadband access across unserved and underserved areas of Nigeria. With a total cost estimated at $1.6bn, the World Bank will contribute $500m via a concessional credit from the International Development Association, while the remaining funds will come from private sector sources.
The programme targets the development of climate-resilient broadband infrastructure that will bridge structural gaps and bring internet access to rural and remote communities. It is expected to play a critical role in Nigeria’s ambition to become a digitally inclusive economy.
Nigeria’s Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Dr Bosun Tijani, had announced in August that Nigeria was moving closer to building one of the largest digital backbones in the developing world. He unveiled the technical design for Project BRIDGE — a $2bn fibre-optic expansion initiative that will extend Nigeria’s broadband network from 35,000 to over 125,000 kilometres.
The rollout plan includes seven main fibre rings connecting Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones with Lagos, along with 37 city-level fibre loops, 77 regional networks, and multiple edge data centres.
The second loan, worth $250m, is designated for the Health Security Programme – Phase II, part of a broader regional initiative involving countries in West and Central Africa.
Nigeria’s portion of the programme will be coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and supervised by the Federal Ministry of Finance. The objective is to improve Nigeria’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies and pandemics.
GIK/APA