Nigeria and Chad are moving to deepen cooperation in digital infrastructure, fibre connectivity, artificial intelligence and digital public services following high-level talks in N’Djamena.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, met his Chadian counterpart, Haliki Choua Mahamat, on September 16, 2026, as both countries explored ways to build stronger digital links between their economies.
The discussions focused on potential fibre-optic interconnection through Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, artificial intelligence, government digital services, telecommunications regulation, cybersecurity, innovation and skills development. The two sides also initialled a joint communiquΓ© setting out a framework for further cooperation.
Chad seeks stronger connection to international networks
A major issue in the talks was Chad’s interest in establishing a direct fibre connection with Nigeria.
Chad is landlocked and currently depends on external routes for international connectivity. Officials said a connection to Nigeria could provide access to international network capacity available through Lagos while giving Chad another route for internet traffic.
The proposed connection is intended to improve network resilience and potentially expand broadband access. It could also strengthen digital and economic links between the two countries.
Chadian officials have expressed particular interest in Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, which is designed to expand the country’s national fibre network and establish cross-border connections with neighbouring countries.
What Project BRIDGE could mean for Chad
Project BRIDGE is Nigeria’s major national fibre infrastructure initiative.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy says the project is designed to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with connections to more than 770 local governments.
The African Development Bank has also described the wider programme as an effort to expand Nigeria’s fibre backbone and establish cross-border links with Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
For Chad, the potential connection could provide another route to international digital capacity.
For Nigeria, regional interconnection could create opportunities to provide infrastructure and digital services beyond its domestic market.
Lower connectivity costs are part of the discussion
Nigerian officials have linked regional fibre interconnection to the possibility of lower transit costs and greater network resilience.
According to reporting on the talks, a preliminary study cited by Tijani estimated that proposed digital links involving Nigeria, Chad, Benin, Niger and Cameroon could add nearly $1 billion to the combined GDP of the countries by 2030.
That figure is a projection from a preliminary study, rather than an economic gain that has already occurred. Its eventual outcome would depend on whether the proposed infrastructure is financed, built and used at sufficient scale.
The broader argument is that improved connectivity can reduce the cost of moving digital traffic while making internet infrastructure less dependent on individual international routes.
AI cooperation will go beyond infrastructure
The talks were not limited to fibre networks.
Nigeria and Chad also discussed cooperation in artificial intelligence, innovation and research.
Chad expressed interest in Nigeria’s experience in technology, digital entrepreneurship and emerging technologies. Discussions included the African Tongues and Languages at Scale, or ATLAS, initiative, which focuses on incorporating African languages into AI systems.
The countries also discussed developing national capabilities in AI and robotics, alongside academic and scientific cooperation.
For African countries, the development of AI systems that can understand local languages remains an important technical issue. Many African languages have relatively limited digital datasets compared with major global languages.
Cooperation in this area could therefore involve research, datasets, language technology and skills development rather than simply deploying existing AI products.
Digital public infrastructure is another area
Nigeria and Chad are also considering cooperation around digital public infrastructure.
The discussions included areas such as digital government services, digital identity and payments.
Nigeria has been developing digital public infrastructure as part of its broader digital economy programme. The country is seeking to use technology to improve how citizens interact with government services and how digital transactions are delivered.
The talks with Chad could create an avenue for both countries to exchange technical and institutional experience as they develop their own systems.
However, the discussions do not mean that a fully integrated Nigeria-Chad digital identity or payments system has already been established. Further technical work would be required before any such projects become operational.
Cybersecurity and regulation also on the agenda
Cross-border digital infrastructure requires more than fibre cables.
Nigeria and Chad discussed telecommunications regulation, spectrum management and cybersecurity as part of the proposed cooperation.
Regulatory coordination can become important when networks cross national borders because operators and governments have to address issues such as spectrum use, infrastructure access, network security and the movement of digital traffic.
Cybersecurity is also increasingly important as more government and commercial services depend on interconnected networks.
Nigeria indicated that it was willing to cooperate with Chad on terrestrial and satellite connectivity, regulation and cybersecurity.
Skills development is part of the proposed partnership
The two countries also discussed technical skills and youth entrepreneurship.
Nigeria’s 3 Million Technical Talent programme, known as 3MTT, was identified as one area where experience could potentially be shared.
The programme is part of Nigeria’s effort to expand its pool of technology workers. Cooperation with Chad could extend discussions around digital skills, entrepreneurship and technical training.
For both countries, infrastructure investment alone does not guarantee a larger digital economy. Businesses and public institutions also need people capable of building, maintaining and using the infrastructure.
Nigeria wants stronger regional digital links
The discussions with Chad form part of a wider Nigerian effort to build cross-border digital connectivity.
Nigeria has held similar discussions with other neighbouring countries as it develops the regional dimension of Project BRIDGE.
The Federal Ministry says the project is intended not only to improve domestic connectivity but also to create a foundation for wider digital transformation and economic activity.
The African Development Bank has also identified cross-border connections with neighbouring countries as part of the broader fibre expansion programme.
This approach could gradually create a more interconnected digital network across parts of West and Central Africa.
Implementation will determine the outcome
The September 16 talks produced a framework for further cooperation, but several practical steps remain.
Technical teams from both countries are expected to work on the details of the proposed collaboration. Financing, engineering designs, regulatory arrangements and commercial agreements would need to be settled before a Nigeria-Chad fibre connection could become operational.
The same applies to proposed cooperation in AI, digital public infrastructure and cybersecurity.
The economic benefits discussed by officials are therefore prospective rather than immediate.
For now, the agreement establishes a direction for cooperation. Its significance will depend on whether the two governments can turn the commitments into funded projects, working infrastructure, technical partnerships and services that businesses and citizens can actually use.
For Nigeria, the talks offer another potential route for extending its digital infrastructure and services into neighbouring markets. For Chad, a connection to Nigeria could provide an additional path to international digital capacity.
The next phase will be translating the September agreement into concrete projects and implementation plans.
Community
Comments
Keep discussion respectful and relevant. Comments never affect rewards.
No comments yet. Start a respectful conversation.