The first submarine cable system in Nigeria outside of Lagos – the 2Africa subsea cable – was successfully landed in Akwa Ibom State, according to an announcement made by data center colocation provider MainOne, an Equinix company. This would represent a critical milestone in the process of expanding broadband access and supporting economic growth in the South-South, South-East, and North-Central areas of Nigeria.
With a planned capacity of up to 180 terabits per second, the 2Africa cable project will be one of the longest subsea cable projects in the world. It will span a length of 45,000 kilometers and will link Europe, Asia, and Africa along its length. The relevance of 2Africa rests in the fact that it is able to meet critical Internet requirements and improve reliabibility throughout broad swaths of Africa. In addition, 2Africa acts as a driving force behind the development of 4G, 5G, and fixed broadband accessibility, which allows it to have an effect on billions of people.
The fact that Akwa Ibom was chosen as a landing site for the 2Africa cable project would highlight the strategic significance of the region in Nigeria’s shift towards digital technology.
2Africa would make a substantial contribution to the stability of the country’s digital infrastructure by providing cable variety and resiliency. The participation of data center colocation provider MainOne as the landing partner might contribute to the consolidation of this undertaking.
Economic Growth, Digital Transformation
The fact that MainOne will make it feasible to create a terrestrial metro fiber network throughout Akwa Ibom State and across the whole of South-South Nigeria is a particularly notable aspect of the project. Because of this, it would be possible to establish a link between the regional companies and people and the undersea cable system in a smooth manner.
“With a commitment to consistently deploy financial capital and project resources towards infrastructure investments, MainOne is dedicated to improving Internet capacity and driving various aspects of development,” said Abayomi Adebanjo, Regional Business Head, MainOne, an Equinix company. “It will bring economic growth, digital transformation, healthcare, security, agriculture, and increased state revenue in South-South Nigeria.”
By bridging the gap in underserved and unserved areas, the terrestrial metro fiber network would alleviate Internet distribution limits throughout Nigeria’s Southern and North-Central regions. Akwa Ibom State, the South-South Region, and Nigeria might reap a plethora of economic and social advantages by hosting the submarine cable system landing and the fiber cable connections. Benefits would include increased public service delivery, entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation.
