The Largest Subsea Cable, 2Africa, Lands in Nigeria

The 2Africa subsea cable, pioneered by Bayobab, has just made its way to Nigeria. This massive cable, spanning 45,000 kilometers, will connect 33 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia.

It’s part of the world’s largest subsea cable project led by the 2Africa consortium, which includes Center3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC. What’s more? Once completed, it will have 46 landing points.

Frédéric Schepens, CEO of Bayobab, said: “Following two milestone landings in South Africa, we are pleased to announce 2Africa cable landing further up the continent, in Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria.

He further said “The 2Africa initiative is at the core of the work we do as Bayobab, with the ultimate goal of connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa. Moreover, we are eager to continue offering services that will expand the rapidly growing African digital economy and positively impact growth across the continent.”

Benefits of The 2Africa Cable

The 2Africa subsea cable brings a multitude of benefits to the regions it connects and some will be listed here:

1. Enhanced Connectivity: The cable provides faster and more reliable internet connectivity to the 33 countries it serves, promoting digital inclusion and enabling seamless communication.

2. Increased Capacity: With its vast network infrastructure, the cable significantly boosts data capacity, allowing for the transfer of large volumes of information, supporting businesses, education, healthcare, and other sectors.

3. Economic Growth: Improved connectivity stimulates economic growth by attracting investments, fostering innovation, and enabling digital entrepreneurship across the connected regions.

4. International Collaboration: The cable’s connection to Europe and Asia facilitates international collaboration, trade, and knowledge sharing, strengthening global partnerships.

5. Lastly, bridging the Digital Divide: By extending connectivity to underserved areas, the cable helps bridge the digital divide, promoting equal access to information, opportunities, and resources.

Bayobab 2Africa Cable Plan For West Africa

Back in 2020, Meta, Telecom Egypt, China Mobile International, Bayobab (MTN GlobalConnect), Orange, STC, Vodafone, and the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) made an exciting announcement about the 2Africa cable. This incredible project aims to encircle the African continent, connecting various countries.

The construction work for the East African section of the cable kicked off in late 2022, while the work on the western portion began last year. In the upcoming months, there are plans to have landing points in Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Portugal, and the UK.

By establishing these landing points in Ghana and Nigeria, service providers in both countries gain access to carrier-neutral data centers and open-access cable landing stations. Importantly, this ensures fair and equitable distribution of capacity, supporting the development of a robust internet ecosystem for businesses and customers.

Bayobab, in partnership with MTN Opco’s, has played a significant role in completing the cable landings. Mohammed Aliyu, the Chief Fibreco Officer at Bayobab, expressed their commitment to bridging the digital divide through the “East2West project,” which aims to enhance connectivity between West Africa and the rest of the continent too.

These recent cable landings mark Bayobab’s third and fourth in a series of six, spanning five countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa. In 2022, under the name MTN GlobalConnect, they successfully landed the 2Africa cable in Yzerfontein and Duynefontein, South Africa.

Conclusion

Finally, as technology continues to revolutionize sectors across Africa, reliable internet connectivity is crucial. Bayobab recognizes that the 2Africa cable will greatly contribute to the development of the internet ecosystem, improving accessibility for businesses and their customers.

Nigeria and Ghana are poised to be key players in the digital economy of West Africa. The 2Africa cable will play a pivotal role in transforming the connectivity landscape of the region.