The Federal Government has extended the application deadline for the National Digital Economy Research Clusters under Project BRIDGE, citing increased interest from academic institutions across Nigeria.
The new deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest (EoI) is now Monday, April 27, 2026, from the earlier April 13 timeline, according to Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, who announced the extension.
The programme, supported by an estimated ₦12 billion investment, was first announced in November 2025 and is designed to mobilise university-led research consortia to generate policy-relevant insights to guide Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“Due to the strong interest from institutions across the country, we are extending the application deadline for the National Digital Economy Research Clusters under Project BRIDGE,” Tijani says.
He also urges stakeholders within the academic and research ecosystem to utilise the extended window.
“We strongly encourage Vice-Chancellors, research leaders, and academic institutions to take advantage of this extended window to review the Terms of Reference and submit their proposals,” the Minister adds.
The National Digital Economy Research Clusters programme is a flagship initiative under Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth), a government-backed effort aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital ecosystem through infrastructure and research.
The initiative focuses on six priority areas: connectivity, digital public infrastructure, digital skills, jobs and livelihoods, online safety, and Artificial Intelligence. It aligns with the Federal Government’s broader plan to deploy over 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic backbone infrastructure nationwide to improve connectivity.
Beyond infrastructure development, the research clusters are expected to support evidence-based policymaking by generating data-driven and locally grounded insights to guide digital economy investments and strategies.
The programme is expected to bring together more than 200 researchers from universities and research institutions, supporting collaboration between academia and government to address gaps in digital access, inclusion and innovation.
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