Technology experts on Tuesday said Nigeria’s poor digital infrastructure was constraining growth in the informal economy, noting that unreliable connectivity and power shortages continued to limit productivity and trade.
The tech experts made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
They expressed optimism that the Federal Government’s Project Bridge initiative would close the gap and unlock opportunities across underserved communities.
Project BRIDGE is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) aimed at deploying at least 90,000 km of Fiber Optic cables as Nigeria’s core connectivity Infrastructure and national backbone for universal access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across Nigeria, under a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) funding model.
This initiative will complete Nigeria’s intended target of 120,000 km of fibre-optic cable roll-out in Nigeria as identified in the Nigeria National Broadband Plan 2020 – 2025.
A technology executive at OmniBiz, Mr Dika Oha, said that infrastructure challenges remained a major barrier to scaling digital solutions in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Sector.
Oha said his company operated within the informal retail space, connecting manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers.
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He said that the biggest constraint in the informal space was infrastructure, adding that unreliable network connectivity and power supply were also constant challenges.
“These factors slow down transactions and make it difficult to scale digital operations,” he said.
According to Oha, while Nigeria has recorded progress in mobile connectivity, overreliance on wireless networks has led to congestion and declining service quality.
He said expanding fibre optic infrastructure inland through Project Bridge would significantly improve connectivity and drive economic growth.
“If fibre reaches communities at scale, across urban and rural areas, it will transform access and efficiency.
“It will leapfrog development in the same way mobile technology did in 2001,” he said.
Oha, on his part, commended the pace of implementation, describing it as faster than expected for a government-led initiative.
“They have secured funding from partners, including the African Development Bank, and the process appears transparent with stakeholder engagement in the tendering stages,” he said.
He added that breaking the project into smaller components would reduce execution risks and improve accountability.
He emphasised that successful implementation of Project Bridge would reshape Nigeria’s business environment and accelerate digital inclusion.
“These are the kinds of initiatives that will determine how businesses grow and how the economy evolves,” Oha said.
Also speaking, Mr Oluwaseun Oluboyo, Chief Technology Architect at IPNX Nigeria Ltd., described Project Bridge as timely, noting that it would extend connectivity beyond major cities to underserved areas.
“It is about time we take digital connectivity to the hinterlands and not just state capitals.
“There are many young people who can achieve a lot if they have access to the right tools and platforms,” he said.
Oluboyo said ongoing efforts to secure funding, partnerships and regulatory frameworks indicated steady progress on the project.
He stressed the need to align academia with industry to maximise the benefits of expanded connectivity.
“We must bring ideas from academia into real-world application to create impact and drive innovation,” he said.
Oluboyo expressed hope that stakeholders would remain committed to delivering the project in spite of expected challenges.
“We need to stay focused and see this through. There will be challenges, but they also present opportunities,” he said.
NAN reports that it is estimated that the total cost of implementation of Project Bridge is $2 billion which will be funded through a combination of debt, in the form of sovereign loans from DFIs (including the World Bank, AfDB and others) and equity, from private sector companies.
The Nigerian government will be a minority partner with shareholding not less than 25% but capped at 49%.
(NAN)
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