EU Announces €45m Investment to Boost Nigeria’s Connectivity and Digital Services

Nigeria has secured a major boost for its digital transformation agenda as the European Commission announced a €45 million commitment under the EU–Nigeria Digital Economy Package. The announcement was made on Tuesday in Brussels during the EU–Nigeria Digital Open Day, which brought together top EU officials, industry leaders, and Nigeria’s delegation led by Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

The new funding marks a significant step in accelerating Nigeria’s digital growth and supports ongoing efforts to build a more connected, innovative, and inclusive digital economy.

According to the Minister, discussions with EU representatives focused on three key areas:

• Secure Connectivity and Digital Infrastructure: Plans include expansion of nationwide fibre backbone networks, enhanced subsea cable capacity, deployment of 5G, and scaling last-mile access to underserved communities.
• e-Governance and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Collaboration will advance Nigeria’s digital identity systems, interoperability frameworks, e-payment infrastructure, and digital public services that improve government efficiency and citizen experience.
• Digital Skills and Talent Development: Nigeria showcased its flagship 3MTT programme, aimed at training millions of technical talents. The EU and Nigeria also explored new partnerships for workforce development, innovation exchange, and talent mobility.

Dr. Tijani noted that the investment serves as a strong vote of confidence in the country’s digital ambitions and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s priority of steering Nigeria toward a $1 trillion economy.

He expressed appreciation to EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela and the European Union Delegation in Nigeria for their commitment and continued partnership in supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.