National Broadband & Digital Infrastructure Program

Terrestrial fibre, data centre and cloud capacity extending reliable connectivity to regional centres and secondary cities. The program is at NBP-2 on the NBP readiness ladder and is recorded at concept confidence. Scope, cost and structure remain subject to the studies listed below.

Connectivity is concentrated in the largest urban centres. Secondary cities and regional capitals have limited redundancy, so a single fault interrupts service across a wide area.

Make reliable connectivity available where economic activity occurs, so that digital public services, enterprise and education can depend on it.

Study a terrestrial fibre backbone with redundant routing, supported by regional data centre capacity and a government cloud environment.

• Terrestrial fibre backbone
• Redundant routing
• Regional data centres
• Cloud infrastructure
• Last-mile access support
• Cybersecurity capability

Location: Multi-country, Africa

Enterprises, educational and health institutions, public authorities, and households in served areas.

• Technical scope to be established through pre-feasibility study
• Design standards to follow applicable national and international codes
• Environmental and social screening prior to design finalisation

• Rights of way
• Electricity supply
• Regulatory framework
• Technical operations skills
• Data centre siting

Redundancy, rather than raw capacity, is typically what determines whether institutions will place critical services on a national network.

Delivery and ownership structure to be determined at commercial structuring (NBP-6). Options include public delivery, partnership structures and concession models, assessed against value for money and risk allocation.

To be determined. Suitable capital categories will be assessed at NBP-6 and NBP-7 against the project’s risk profile and revenue characteristics.

Revenue and sustainability model under development. Where user charges are not viable, availability-based or budget-funded models will be assessed.

Classification: To be assigned following environmental and social screening.

Environmental assessment will be completed to the standard required by national regulation and applicable lender policy before any commitment is sought.

Social assessment will address land, livelihoods, resettlement risk, community consultation and equitable access to the resulting service.

1. 1Concept developmentCurrentScope, beneficiaries and components defined at concept level.
2. 2Pre-feasibilityNextTechnical and commercial viability tested at order-of-magnitude level.
3. 3FeasibilitySubsequentFull technical, financial, environmental and social case established.
4. 4Structuring & financingSubsequentDelivery model settled and capital matched to the opportunity.