The European Union Global Gateway Strategy and Infrastructure Financing in Nigeria’s North-West Zone

This paper investigates the implications of the European Union's Global Gateway strategy, launched in 2021 as a geopolitical alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative, for infrastructure financing in Nigeria's North-West geopolitical zone. The North-West, encompassing states such as Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara, is characterised by significant infrastructure deficits in transport, energy, and digital connectivity, and has attracted growing interest from both Chinese and European financing institutions. This descriptive study uses secondary analysis of EU Global Gateway policy documents, European Investment Bank (EIB) project pipelines, Nigerian Ministry of Finance Budget Office reports, and academic literature published between 2021 and 2024 to assess the current engagement and future potential of EU Global Gateway interventions in the North-West. The research examines the criteria and modalities for Global Gateway infrastructure financing in Nigeria, and whether the initiative's emphasis on democratic governance, rule of law, and environmental sustainability aligns with the political economy of infrastructure delivery in the North-West zone. Findings identify opportunities for EU-North West Nigeria infrastructure collaboration in renewable energy, rural roads, and digital connectivity, alongside governance and security challenges that complicate programme design. Keywords: EU Global Gateway, infrastructure financing, North-West Nigeria, EU-Africa relations, development finance.