Active Development AidData Chinese Aid

China Eximbank provides RMB 623.7 million government concessional loan for the National Backbone Fiber Optic Cable Network and Communication Service Project

¥623.7K RMB

Funder	Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank)
Recipient Organization	Government of Niger
Country	Niger
Start Date	Jan 02, 2014
End Date	Apr 18, 2030
Duration	5,950 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`58683`

Grant Description

China Eximbank provides RMB 623.7 million government concessional loan for the National Backbone Fiber Optic Cable Network and Communication Service Project On December 14, 2013, the Chinese Ambassador to Niger and Niger's Minister of State for Planning signed a preferential loan framework agreement for the National Backbone Optical Cable Network and Communication Service Project.

Then, on January 2, 2014, the Government of Niger and China Eximbank signed an RMB 623.7 million government concessional loan (GCL) agreement for the project.

📋 Loan / Grant Terms

💰 Loan Amountagreement on October 29

📅 Maturity20 years

⏳ Grace Period7 years

💹 Interest Rate1%

Société Nigérienne des Télécommunications (SONITEL) — Niger’s state-run telecommunications operator — is responsible for loan repayment; however, it is not clear if it is the legal counterpart to the China Eximbank GCL or if the Government of Niger used the proceeds of the China Eximbank GCL to on-lend to SONITEL.

The project involved the installation of more than 2,275 km of fiber optic cable along three sections (Niamey–Tillabéry, Zinder–Diffa and Agadez-Tahoua), 136 GSM and WCDMA terminals, CDMA and ADSL communication networks, and e-government services. China International Telecommunication Construction Corporation was the contractor responsible for implementation.

Its ultimate objective was to increase national broadband coverage from 54% to 72%. Construction officially began on June 15, 2015 and the project was 95% complete as of November 2016. Construction ended in the first quarter of 2017. The project was officially completed and handed over the local authorities in May 2018.

📋 Staff Comments

The French project title is Projet de construction de Backbone national en fibre optique et Services de télécommunications. The Chinese project title is 尼日尔国际光缆骨干网 or 尼日尔国家骨干光缆网和通信服务项目 or 尼日尔国家骨干光缆建设和通信服务项目（Zinder-Guidiguir-Goure-Goudoumaria-MaineSoroa-Diffa-Nguimi-Dlakime Border中继段.
The borrowing terms of the loan have been disclosed by the Government of Niger (see https://tresor.ne/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/RAPPORT-ANNUEL-2021_VF-1.pdf).

📚 Sources & References

中国进出口银行支持尼日尔信息产业发展
Telecoms: Surf’s finally up in Niger!
AFD 2017 Report on Chinese Government Financed Projects in Niger
尼日尔议会通过多项决议
驻尼日尔大使石虎与尼电信部长共同主持光缆骨干网项目开工仪式
La Chine et le Niger entretiennent de très bonnes relations
Allocution de S.E.M. Zhang Lijun, ambassadeur de chine, a la cérémonie de remise d’un don alimentaire d’urgence
Niger, investissements massifs à Sonitel
Lancement au Niger d’un projet du backbone en fibre optique et services de télécommunications
Niger : 58 milliards de FCFA de prêt chinois pour la construction d'infrastructures de communication à large bande
驻尼日尔大使石虎在尼国家光缆骨干网项目开工仪式上的讲话
尼日尔国家光缆骨干网和通信服务项目开建
Niger : prêt chinois d'environ 50 milliards de FCFA pour le financement de la fibre optique, احملور الرابع: مستقبل التعاون العربي اإلفرييقي الصيين آفاق التعاون العربي اإلفريقي الصيي
Allocution de S.E.M. Zhang Lijun
Ambassadeur de Chine, a la ceremonie du lancement des travaux du pont general Seyni kountche
Chinese Loans to Africa Database
BILAN AXE 3 : RELANCER L’ÉCONOMIE A TRAVERS DES INVESTISSEMENTS PUBLICS
中国电信践行“一带一路”倡议：跨越鸿沟共享信息文明
驻尼日尔大使石虎与尼计划国务部长签署中尼国家光缆骨干网和通信服务建设项目优惠贷款框架协议
驻尼日尔大使石虎在中尼国家光缆骨干网和通信服务建设项目优惠贷款框架协议签字仪式上的讲话
Republic of Niger Official Journal Vol. 3 Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.