The first cable to connect East and West Africa in a single, continuous system, linking Africa with the Middle East, South Asia and Europe, this achievement marks a historic milestone in digital infrastructure, establishing what is currently the world’s longest open-access subsea cable system, spanning three continents over 33 countries, connecting 3 billion people.

The 2Africa system, architected and led by Meta in collaboration with partners including Bayobab (MTN Group), Orange, center3, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC, is set to transform connectivity for 3 billion people, including Africa’s 1.4 billion people over the next decade.

With cutting-edge technology, 2Africa brings more subsea capacity than all of Africa’s subsea cables, combined, today, delivering faster, more reliable and cost-effective internet access to consumers and enterprises alike.

2Africa lays the foundation for transformative new AI experiences, economic growth, and digital inclusion across the continent – with its completion serving as a testament to what can be achieved through visionary investment and robust collaboration.

At the just-concluded launch event, Meta reaffirmed its commitment to investing in Africa’s digital future.

“The completion of 2Africa is a monumental achievement, not just for Meta, but for the entire continent. This project demonstrates what’s possible when vision, investment and collaboration come together – unlocking new opportunities for millions of Africans, empowering businesses and helping to accelerate economic growth. At Meta, we are proud to be the architects of this transformative infrastructure and remain deeply committed to investing in Africa’s digital future, in partnership with the ecosystem.” said Kojo Boakye, vice president, Public Policy, Africa, Middle East & Türkiye at Meta.

The 2Africa consortium, composed of both private and public sector leaders, exemplifies the power of collaboration in building the longest subsea cable system in the world.

With the completion of 2Africa, millions of Africans will experience improved internet speeds, greater reliability and expanded access to digital services.

Enterprises will benefit from enhanced connectivity, driving innovation, economic growth and global competitiveness.

The event brought together multiple stakeholders from across the continent, including the Minister of Post, Telecoms and Digital Economy of the DRC, Jose Mpanda Kabangu; telecommunications regulators from Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Mozambique, and Angola; as well as other senior officials including from Kenya and Nigeria.

“Completing the core 2Africa system is a milestone for open, reliable capacity spanning three continents. We built 2Africa to be open by design so more providers can connect and people and businesses can get faster, more dependable service,” said Alex-Handrah Aime, vice president, Network Investments at Meta.

“Under the surface, it’s engineered for scale, reliability and to power the next wave of cloud and AI experiences. Above the surface, it’s about everyday impact, from a student downloading a textbook in seconds to small businesses and entrepreneurs reaching new customers online. 2Africa lays the groundwork for inclusive growth today and the innovations we haven’t imagined yet.”

2Africa marks a defining moment for Africa’s digital future. By leading the design, funding and deployment of the world’s longest open‑access subsea cable to date, Meta and its partners are laying the foundation for faster, more reliable internet, new digital jobs and the next generation of online experiences.

The event concluded with an awards ceremony, where Meta recognised consortium members, including Paul Gabla (VP, Sales and Marketing, ASN), Mazen Mroué (CEO, Bayobab), Dejan Kastelic (CTO, Vodacom), Philippe Mendribil (MEA Networks Transformation and Cost Optimization, Orange), and Chris Wood (CEO, WIOCC), for their outstanding collaboration in delivering 2Africa.

The celebration also featured a symbolic 2Africa cable light-up ceremony, marking a significant milestone in the partnership.

In this space, companies like MainOne (now Equinix), Rack Centre, and WIOCC through its Open Access Data Centres (OADC), are investing heavily to strengthen Nigeria’s digital backbone. 

But which of them is best positioned to ensure growth across the Nigerian startups sector?

MainOne (Equinix): The Global Reach & Certification Anchor

MainOne has leveraged its submarine cable system, fibre optic network, and its acquisition by Equinix to offer reach and certified reliability. Its data centre arm, MDXi, holds the Uptime Institute Tier III Constructed Facility certification (TCCF), among several other certifications (PCI-DSS, SAP Infrastructure Services, ISO 27001 & 9001). 

Its Network Connect and Cloud Connect services link local branches or clouds with global infrastructure. For example, by routing traffic via its submarine cable and leveraging Equinix Fabric, it offers predictable performance and connectivity from Lagos to key global hubs.

Power reliability, a common pain point in Nigeria, is one of MainOne’s standout strengths. Its Lagos data centre integrates multiple power redundancies, utility partnerships, and high-capacity generators to maintain near-continuous uptime. That’s essential for startups whose businesses can’t afford downtime.

Still, MainOne’s premium-grade services usually come at higher prices. For small or growing startups, that might make it more suitable at later stages of expansion rather than at the beginning.

So, MainOne offers scale, high certifications, international interconnect, and relatively lower risk from interruptions.

Rack Centre: The Nimble, Neutral & Efficiency-Driven Option

Rack Centre carved its reputation as Nigeria’s first carrier-neutral Tier III certified data centre. Unlike most competitors, it is not owned by any telecom or internet provider, which gives clients the flexibility to interconnect with over 70 different carriers and ISPs. That neutrality is one of its biggest competitive edges.

Its location in Oregun, Lagos, provides direct access to all the major undersea cables serving Nigeria, including WACS, MainOne, Glo-1, SAT-3 and ACE. The result is low latency, strong redundancy, and smooth interconnection between local networks.

Rack Centre’s new LGS2 facility represents a huge step forward. The 12MW hyperscale and AI-ready centre is designed for exceptional energy efficiency and sustainability, with advanced cooling systems and a lower Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratio. This reduces operational costs and aligns with global sustainability standards, an important factor for modern tech companies.

Its approach appeals particularly to startups seeking flexibility, local performance, and freedom from vendor lock-ins. However, Rack Centre’s challenge is scale: it has a solid local presence but lacks the global integration that Equinix offers through MainOne.

One of its strongest propositions is neutrality: Rack Centre is not owned by a telco, ISP or cloud provider; it does not compete with its tenants; therefore, there is less risk of vendor lock-in or conflict. 

For startups, especially those scaling fast, Rack Centre tends to offer strong locality benefits: low latency within Nigeria, strong peering via IXPN, predictable interconnects, and usually more flexible arrangements for rack space or interconnection.

WIOCC / OADC: The Pan-African Connector, Big Capacity Incoming

WIOCC, via its Open Access Data Centres (OADC) arm, is scaling aggressively. Its strategy is open access, hyperscale capacity, and linking regional networks. 

OADC’s expansion plan is one of the biggest in the sector. The company has committed over $240 million to expand its Lagos data centre to 24 megawatts by 2027, starting with a 12MW first phase. The facility is designed to support cloud providers, hyperscale clients, and growing tech firms that need capacity and cross-border connectivity.

WIOCC also launched OAfabric, its cloud interconnection platform, which allows businesses to connect directly to international cloud services through a simplified interface. Combined with its wide fibre and submarine network, it aims to provide both affordability and regional reach.

That said, OADC’s infrastructure in Nigeria is still relatively new, with much of its full capacity under development. The scale and potential are enormous, but the market will need to see consistent delivery over time.

Its strength is scale (once the full capacity is live), strong peering potential across borders, and an open access model that benefits ISPs, cloud providers and telcos who need wholesale connectivity.

Comparing Strengths and Trade-offs

Each company brings something unique to Nigeria’s digital economy. MainOne is on top when it comes to global integration and enterprise-grade reliability, backed by Equinix’s global standards. For Rack Centre, it’s in neutrality, local performance, and energy efficiency, making it ideal for startups prioritising flexibility and cost control. WIOCC, meanwhile, is building a network that could redefine cross-border connectivity and scale for Africa’s data economy once fully realised.

In terms of reliability, both MainOne and Rack Centre already provide strong uptime backed by Tier III certifications. MainOne’s international connectivity gives it an advantage for startups with global vision. Rack Centre provides a more accessible, locally optimised alternative for startups that value independence and direct peering with multiple providers. WIOCC is the long-term investment, its pan-African fibre network and future 24MW capacity could make it the infrastructure giant to watch.

What I Think Startups Should Care About Most

If I were advising a startup today, I would tell them:

• Get your foundation right: data sovereignty, uptime, and latency are not optional. Pick a provider with strong certifications and multiple power/fibre redundancy.
• Think about the cost-to-scale: what looks affordable at 10 racks may be expensive at 100. Check how interconnect charges, cross-connects, and peering fees scale.
• Be wary of lock-in. Providers that are carrier-neutral and open access give more flexibility to mix and match cloud, network, and hosting providers.
• Monitor sustainability and total cost of ownership. Facilities that waste energy or have unreliable back-up power may cost more when things go wrong.

Who’s Best Positioned?

Each of these providers has a part. If I had to pick:

• For startups already serving international customers or aiming to scale globally, MainOne/Equinix remains ahead because of its global interconnection, submarine cable reach, and certifications.
• For startups focused on Nigeria or nearby countries and needing lower latency, predictable interconnect and flexible arrangements, Rack Centre looks like a strong option.
• For companies needing wholesale capacity, cross-border reach, or anticipating rapid growth in cloud usage, WIOCC/OADC will likely pull ahead once their full capacity is available and stable.

In short: there is no single perfect choice. But the competition among these three is powerful for our ecosystem. Startups will benefit as they force better reliability, lower prices, and greater innovation. And I’m positive the fate of Nigerian startups looks brighter if we build this backbone well.

This collaboration aims to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s digital economy through substantial investments in critical digital infrastructure and comprehensive stakeholder engagement.

The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marks a significant milestone in the efforts to enhance digital connectivity and inclusion across Nigeria.

Represented by Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, the minister, and Mr. Darren Bedford, WIOCC Group’s chief development officer, the agreement outlines a shared vision for fostering technical efficiency and collective prosperity.

The partnership focuses on enhancing stakeholder engagement by jointly reviewing and improving the National Policy on Telecommunications to meet digital economy needs.

WIOCC Group commits to investing in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, deploying a hyperscale open-access digital platform for internet service providers (ISPs) with advanced fibre and colocation facilities.

Additionally, through this partnership, the collaboration with the Nigerian Broadband Alliance for Nigeria aims to improve broadband quality and accessibility, with WIOCC expanding fibre infrastructure and partnering with ISPs to connect more homes and businesses.

The partnership also includes WIOCC providing digital infrastructure training and supporting job creation for Nigerian youth.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Darren Bedford, WIOCC group’s chief business development officer, said,

“The MoU with the Ministry of Communications underscores our commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation, by working together, we aim to create a robust digital ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders and drives sustainable economic growth”.

Dr ‘Bosun Tijani stated that,

“This collaboration with WIOCC Group represents a significant step forward in our commitment to ensuring that Nigerians have access to reliable and high-quality telecommunications services. We are committed to building a resilient digital infrastructure that fosters innovation, inclusion, and economic growth. Working with the private sector to deliver last-mile connectivity to homes and businesses, amongst other key benefits, is essential to achieving this vision, and we are excited about the opportunities this collaboration creates for empowering communities across Nigeria”.

This partnership supports digital inclusion and drives Nigeria’s digital transformation.

By combining WIOCC’s extensive wholesale fibre network and expertise with GBB’s national fibre footprint, the collaboration will improve scalability, efficiency and service delivery for businesses and government institutions.

It also aims to bridge the digital divide by expanding broadband access to underserved regions and foster partnerships with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to advance Nigeria’s digital economy.

A signing ceremony was held at Galaxy Backbone’s Corporate headquarters in Abuja, with Darren Bedford, group chief development officer at WIOCC and Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, anaging Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone.

They highlighted the strategic alignment of both organizations in driving digital transformation to accelerate Nigeria’s digital future, setting a benchmark for innovation and connectivity that addresses the evolving needs of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem..

Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju stated,

“Our mission is to provide robust digital infrastructure that underpins Nigeria’s digital economy. This partnership with WIOCC is a testament to our commitment to enabling digital inclusion and providing a platform for collaboration that transforms how businesses, governments and communities operate in today’s world.”

Darren Bedford added, “This collaboration with Galaxy Backbone reflects our shared vision for driving digital transformation. Together, we are creating a platform for innovation and economic growth that will benefit the country with world-class connectivity.”

In this interview with Techeconomy, Olatunji Aduloju, the operations manager, Open Access Data Centres (OADC) speaks about sustainability in data centre operations.

He aligns with the school thought that ‘By reducing the environmental footprint of data centres, countries can lower emissions and meet sustainability goals’.

How concerned is WIOCC & Open Access Data Centres about sustainability especially when it involves the environment more especially when it comes to Data Centres operations?

WIOCC and OADC recognise that sustainability is a paramount consideration in the development and operation of data centres.

With increasing energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with digital infrastructure, we are committed to operating sustainably.

We apply competitive sustainability standards during the design, building and operation of our data centres.

This ensures that our facilities are both hyperscale-ready for clients, and meet global investor requirements for managing environmental and social risks.

What does sustainability mean to WIOCC and OADC and how driven is the company on sustainability and the environment?

Sustainability encompasses a variety of obligations that are inherent in conducting business responsibly.

For WIOCC and OADC, this includes:

Leadership within the ICT industry, regional bodies and active engagement in industry organisations and events.

For example, the CEO of OADC serves as Chairman of the Africa Data Centres Association and is a member of the Science and Technology Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Business and Industry.

OADC also participates in the Infrastructure Masons Climate Accord which demonstrates our commitment to global initiatives focused on carbon accounting and reduction.

Secondly, corporate social responsibility initiatives through which we make a positive impact on the communities amongst whom we operate.

For example, OADC has served as a strategic partner for the STEAM UP programme in Lagos for three consecutive years. This mentorship program aims to inspire, motivate, and guide young girls in pursuing studies and careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, by connecting aspiring female scientists in secondary schools with professional women working in STEM fields.

Thirdly, a comprehensive sustainability strategy across the entire WIOCC Group, and robust systems and processes to effectively manage environmental and social risks across our operations.

In practice, this includes initiatives such as using acoustic panels in our power farm to stop reverberations and high levels of noise.

Data Centres consume a lot of power to drive its operations, with the attendant effect on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions -such usage of power will increase with Artificial Intelligence-how sustainable should Data Centres be when it comes to usage of power?

Energy efficiency is an area of focus for OADC. We have set performance targets that require us to improve our Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) which is the industry standard for measuring energy efficiency.

In addition, green building design has been incorporated as a requirement of our core data centres. This requires energy and water efficiency to be included in the design of our data centres.

A key metric in building design is the ‘embodied carbon’ of materials – this refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with various stages in the life cycle of building materials, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and disposal. Current international building certifications, like IFC EDGE and LEED, require us to achieve ambitious targets relating to the embodied carbon in the materials we use for data centre construction.

How can technology help data centres to maximise sustainability process especially with energy efficiency and what lessons can be learned on the energy efficiency of OADC operations?

At OADC operations, we focus on improving our energy efficiency through technology and optimal occupation of our data centres.

This includes:

• Implementing advanced and more efficient cooling systems and managing airflow efficiently
• Integrating renewable energy sources
• Investing in energy-efficient hardware
• Implementing smart energy monitoring and reporting systems to identify improvements and eliminate waste.
• Using smart technologies like artificial intelligence to forecast workload and optimise resource allocation.

Waste management is always an environmental issue especially in a developing country, how can industrial waste be managed taking Open Access Data Centre as a case study?

At OADC, we apply the waste hierarchy which requires us to reduce and minimise waste as the first option.

Where waste generation cannot be avoided or reduced, we recover and reuse waste in a manner that is safe for human health and the environment.

Where waste cannot be recovered or reused, we will treat, destroy, or dispose of it in an environmentally sound manner that includes the appropriate control of emissions and residues resulting from the handling and processing of the waste material.

Our policy also requires us to use licensed disposal sites that are being operated to acceptable standards.

We have a Waste Management Plan that emphasizes a “Cradle to Grave” approach. This means we take responsibility for waste from its creation (“cradle”) to its final disposal (“grave”). We ensure waste separation by providing clearly labeled bins for different materials and have partnered with a government-approved waste collection service provider to ensure proper disposal.

Carbon footprints and circularity are issues in the operations of data centres, how do you recycle and manage your waste? is the community involved in your recycling process and in your waste management?

For circularity to be effective and sustainable, we start considering materials usage from the design phase.

We also leverage innovative technologies and sustainable materials to minimise energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation throughout a facility’s lifecycle:

First, in our Lagos data centre, we have partnered with RESWAYE (Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment), which collects our plastic waste for recycling purposes.

Secondly, as part of our environmental initiatives, we dispose of electronic waste responsibly. Whenever possible, we ensure that equipment or its components are recycled or reused.

Thirdly, our water treatment plants are environmentally beneficial. The implementation of Reverse Osmosis and Sequence Batch Reactor technology in our plants not only provides clean and safe processed water but also helps save water and reduce waste released into the environment. Its impact is far-reaching, contributing significantly to the protection of public health and the environment.

Additionally, we utilize environmentally friendly, clean agent fire suppression systems in our facilities. These agents have extremely low global warming potential and zero ozone depletion potential, containing no carbon dioxide or other harmful gases.

Nigeria is not focussed yet on using renewables when it comes to powering data centres, is OADC looking to do this?

Yes, certainly. OADC has recently completed a feasibility study regarding using renewable energy in our data centres. We have already launched a pilot project using solar power at one of our South African data centres, and we plan to roll out further solar installations wherever we operate in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

We are also investigating other forms of renewable energy for future projects, including wind and wave energy.

Nice speaking to you!

Thanks for having me:

The visit to Sammy Bright School underscores WIOCC Group’s commitment to fostering education and empowering the next generation of African leaders in technology and innovation.

During the visit, executives engaged with students, sharing insights into the importance of STEM education and the myriad of opportunities available in these fields.

“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to interact with the bright young minds at Sammy Bright School and encourage them to explore careers in STEM,” said Ryan Sher, Chief Operations Officer at WIOCC Group. “As a company deeply rooted in Africa, we recognise the critical role that STEM education plays in driving innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development across the continent.”

The executives conducted interactive sessions with the students, highlighting real-world applications of STEM disciplines and sharing personal anecdotes to inspire and motivate the students. Through engaging presentations and discussions, they emphasised the significance of developing problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity, all of which are essential attributes for success in STEM fields. Representatives from WIOCC Group included: Nikki Popoola, Director of Sales West Africa & DRC, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Yvonne Okonkwo, HR Manager as well as Sales Managers Robert Ogbomo and Linda Mbaba.

Working with its Partner, Readland Global, WIOCC decided to select Sammy Bright School after looking at various other schools for the 2024 CSR because it fulfilled the requirements that it had set out in its CSR mission. Founded in 2011, Sammy Bright School currently accommodates 270 students.

“The parents of our students are facing economic challenges, but despite this, we strive to maintain a peaceful environment,” explains Mr. Temitope Adebambo, the School’s founder. “We are deeply honoured that WIOCC Group has selected us for its Q1 2024 CSR Project. Their visit, along with the presence of their executives, has been invaluable. By facilitating our students’ visit to a data centre and providing much-needed assistance, they have made a meaningful impact on our school.”

WIOCC Group’s CSR initiative at Sammy Bright School reflects the company’s broader commitment to social responsibility and community development.

By investing in education and empowering young minds, WIOCC Group aims to create a lasting impact on the communities it serves, driving positive change and prosperity across Africa.

More about WIOCC Group

• WIOCC Group, the parent company of WIOCC, Africa’s digital backbone; Open Access Data Centres (OADC), Africa’s fastest-growing data centre company; and Open Access Technical Services (OATS), a leading provider of holistic managed network and infrastructure services in Africa; is pioneering and accelerating Africa’s digital transformation.
• It is creating an environment in which all Africans can take advantage of world-class technology developments to build better lives, better businesses, and a better world, by deploying converged open-access digital infrastructure (CODI) across Africa; infrastructure that will expedite and underpin Africa’s digital transformation.

WIOCC, the parent company of Open Access Data Centres (OADC), said 35 networks across West African countries, Nigeria inclusive, have been restored to full capacity resilience.

Mr. Chris Wood, WIOCC’s CEO, who gave the update via a virtual press conference, explained that it will take another four weeks to fully restore internet services to all network operators that are connected to the affected four submarine cables that came from Europe, with landing points along the West African coast.

WIOCC ’s highly resilient network, with hyperscale capacity on every major system is the largest in Africa and ideally placed to swiftly deliver restoration solutions to hyperscalers, fixed and mobile carriers, internet service providers and other clients, enabling them to quickly re-establish key traffic routes into, within and out of Africa, thereby minimising performance degradation for their end-customers.

According to Wood, it will cost a total of about $2 million to achieve full restoration to a single subsea cable, depending on the extent of the cut on the cable.

This brings it to a total of about $8 million to fix the affected four submarine cables that were affected by the cut.

Wood however said the owners of the affected cables would bear the cost of restoration of the individual subsea cables.

Affected Subsea cables:

1. MainOne Cable,
2. West African Cable System (WACS),
3. African Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable and
4. SAT3 subsea cable systems.

All four subsea cables came from Europe and they all have landing points at the coast of West African countries, including Nigeria.

Wood who ruled out the possibility of sabotage or any other factor that have been speculated to be the cause of the multiple cuts on the affected four submarine cables, said from the ongoing restoration exercise, he suspected that the cables were affected by heavy landslides from the coast of Cote d I’ voire, where debris from landslides effect may have rolled down into the ocean to cause the damages.

He however said ships have been deployed to the affected areas to carry out repairs on the affected cables, and that until the ships arrive in few days time to effect repairs and investigate the real cause of the submarine cable cuts, it would be difficult to ascertain the real cause of the multiple cuts on the affected submarine cables.

“Since the subsea cable cut, we have restored internet services to 35 networks across West Africa, amounting to 2.5 Terabytes capacity with over 100 links. We recently deployed equipment worth $100 million in accessing new cuts on undersea cables. What we did was to use our capacity on the Equiano cable that was not affected by the cut to restore services to other facilities and operators currently suffering outages in Lagos and elsewhere on the continent.”

• Recall that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), had called for a coordinated and multilateral approach by the region to protect shared telecommunications infrastructure, and diversify connectivity to ensure uninterruptible connections.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman of the  Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), made the submission in a statement delivered at the 21st West Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) Annual General Meeting (AGM), which held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from the 19th to 22nd March 2024.

Dr. Maida, whose message was delivered at the WATRA AGM by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Commission, Nnenna Ukoha, stated that the recent submarine cable cuts that resulted in nationwide outages on multiple networks in 12 African countries has raised the urgent need for the sub-region to establish a mechanism to protect itself from damage to submarine infrastructure and its attendant impact on the sub-region.

In his reaction, Wood said subsea cables all over the world could get cut for various reasons, which could be as a result of landslides, propeller from ships, among other reasons.

“What Nigeria and other West African countries need are more cables landing at the shores of the country that will lead to huge redundancy. The idea of physical security may not work because the cables are laid on the bed of the sea and no one can see exactly their locations to warrant physical protection. So having more cables is the best security measure and not physical security,” Wood said.

Although Wood said it would cost about $1 billion to berth a subsea cable from Europe to West Africa, he however insisted that multiple cable system remained the best form to address cable cuts that occur all over the world.

The WIOCC CEO further said the company’s policy of strategic deployment of converged, open-access digital infrastructure at a hyperscale level and delivery of unrivalled resiliency, enables it to meet and anticipate the needs of Africa’s wholesale community with sufficient scale and network diversity to address even the most challenging situations.

He said WIOOC was established 15 years ago to provide backbone services to organisations and their networks across West Africa.

WIOCC’s highly resilient network, with hyperscale capacity on every major system is the largest in Africa and ideally placed to swiftly deliver restoration solutions to hyperscalers, fixed and mobile carriers, internet service providers and other clients, enabling them to quickly re-establish key traffic routes into, within and out of Africa, thereby minimising performance degradation for their end-customers.

According to Chris Wood, group CEO of WIOCC, “Immediately the four subsea cables were severed off the coast of Cote d‘Ivoire our engineering, operations and field teams swung into action.

“They have been working tirelessly for the last 48 hours with our strategic network partners and equipment suppliers and will, within the next 24 hours, have activated an unprecedented additional 2 Terabits per second (Tbps) of capacity across the unaffected cables in our network to support the capacity needs of other network operators and hyperscalers. Our clients connected directly at Open Access Data Centres (OADC) data centres in South Africa and Nigeria are already protected from the impact of the subsea outages due to the unique levels of redundancy and scale of the WIOCC core backbone. In Lagos, the Equiano cable, in which WIOCC owns a fibre pair, has not been affected by the incident off Cote d‘Ivoire. WIOCC lands the cable directly into the OADC data centre, establishing the most resilient digital ecosystem hub in Lagos and offering the most direct connectivity to Europe and South Africa. As a result, OADC’s data centres and WIOCC’s hyperscale network are playing a key role in restoring services to other facilities and operators currently suffering outages in Lagos and elsewhere on the continent.”

“Our priority is to ensure minimal disruption and maximum resilience for our clients,” added Ryan Sher, Group Chief Operating Officer at WIOCC. “We have invested heavily in deploying diverse, highly scalable national and international connectivity to support the uptime requirements of our wholesale client base. Investing at scale means that we consistently carry extra capacity, ensuring we are able to rapidly turn up or re-route capacity to address unexpected network disruptions. It also enables us to deploy short-term restoration solutions for other operators on a case-by-case basis. Any service provider affected by these outages, whether an existing WIOCC client or not, is encouraged to contact us to explore options.”

He said that WIOCC’s policy of strategic deployment of converged, open-access digital infrastructure at a hyperscale level and delivery of unrivalled resiliency, enables it to meet and anticipate the needs of Africa’s wholesale community with sufficient scale and network diversity to address even the most challenging situations.

Known as ‘2Africa,’ the cable landing station is at Mopo-Onibeju Lekki area of Lagos.

2Africa is said to be the longest under-water cable in the world, passing through three continents and 33 countries, several of which are in Africa; expanding the rapidly growing African digital economy and positively impacting growth across the continent.

According to Josephine Sarouk, managing director, Bayobab Nigeria, the cable will directly support economic development in Africa, fostering further growth of 4G, 5G and increased broadband penetration to millions of people and businesses.

“Bayobab has invested in a myriad of submarine cables to boost much-needed broadband capacity to the continent; and bolster efforts to leverage technology to connect the unconnected in Africa and beyond” and

“The landing of 2Africa in Nigeria will supercharge Nigeria’s digital economy, creating space for a vibrant ecosystem bringing digital services to millions of Nigerians in line with the government’s vision for a thriving digital economy.”

“Our investment in 2Africa is part of our commitment to our customers, bringing resilience to networks and capacity due to the growing demands for digital services such as Fintech, IOT, AI, e-learning, which continue to revolutionise the way customers engage with services, fueling the demand for more data. This landing is further proof of our long-held confidence in the future of the continent,” she said.

The landing of the cable means that Nigerian service providers can access capacity in an open-access cable landing station on a fair and equitable basis. This supports healthy ecosystem development by facilitating greatly improved quality and accessibility of internet connectivity for consumers and local businesses across all sectors.

This milestone achievement by Bayobab and MTN Nigeria will spur economic growth, innovation, and development in the nation.

The 2Africa consortium includes Bayobab, Center3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC.

PHOTO NEWS:

Bayobab Group, as part of the 2Africa consortium, confirmed that the cable has landed in Lagos Nigeria.

The 2Africa consortium comprised of Bayobab, center3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC, is developing the world’s largest subsea cable project.

Techeconomy also gathered that Dr. Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, will officially announce the landing of the cable in Nigeria.

These landings are the third and fourth for Bayobab as part of a series of six landings across five countries, including three locations in West Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire as well as South Africa.

“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,” said Frédéric Schepens, CEO of Bayobab.

“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. We are eager to continue offering services that will expand the rapidly growing African digital economy and positively impact growth across the continent.”

Through these landings Ghanaian and Nigerian service providers have access to capacity in carrier-neutral data centres or open-access cable landing stations on a fair and equitable basis.

It will also support a healthy internet ecosystem development by enhancing internet accessibility for businesses across all sectors and customers. Bayobab partnered with MTN Opco’s to complete the cable landings.

“We want to deeply support the African continent’s capacity needs and provide the required digital infrastructure that can boost the digital economy,” added Mohammed Aliyu, chief fibreco officer at Bayobab.

“These cable landings lend further credence to our East2West project, which will enable us to bridge the digital divide in West Africa and the rest of the continent by supplying dark fibre access as well as active fibre capacity across more than 10 African countries, connecting several landlocked countries to subsea cables in the process.”

Nigeria and Ghana are set to play a key role in the growth of West Africa’s digital economy. The 2Africa cable will, therefore, go a long way towards transforming the region’s connectivity landscape.

[Featured Image Credit]