Keypoints:
- 37,000km cable to link 23 nations
- $1bn project with global telecom partners
- Triples Africa’s current subsea capacity
FACEBOOK is spearheading a $1bn plan to lay a 37,000-kilometre undersea internet cable that will link 23 countries across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The ambitious ‘2Africa’ project aims to deliver faster and more reliable internet connections to a continent where demand for digital services is soaring.
According to a Bloomberg report, the cable will be one of the world’s longest, just behind the 39,000-kilometre Sea-Me-We 3 system that connects 33 countries. Facebook said the network will supply nearly three times the combined capacity of all subsea cables currently serving Africa.
‘When completed, this new route will deliver much-needed internet capacity, redundancy and reliability across Africa; supplement a rapidly increasing demand for capacity in the Middle East; and support further growth of 4G, 5G and broadband access for hundreds of millions of people,’ the company said in a statement.
Telecom heavyweights join the venture
Facebook is working with an array of global telecom partners on the project. MTN, Telecom Egypt, Orange, Vodafone and China Mobile are among the major operators involved. Alcatel Submarine Networks, a subsidiary of Nokia, will build the cable system.
The 2Africa build underscores Africa’s rising importance as a growth market for technology firms seeking to serve a young and fast-growing population eager for affordable, high-speed connectivity.
A history of mixed African ventures
The social media giant has made several earlier attempts to expand Africa’s internet access. In 2013, it launched Internet.org, positioning connectivity as a basic human right. Three years later, Facebook tried to deploy a satellite to beam signals across the continent, but the rocket carrying the equipment exploded on the launchpad.
In 2017, the firm introduced Express Wi-Fi, a public hotspot service now active in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. It also partnered with Nigeria’s MainOne in 2019 to extend broadband service to selected states.
Rising stakes in Africa’s digital future
While Facebook’s initiatives have at times drawn criticism over motives and data privacy, the 2Africa project signals a long-term bet on Africa’s digital transformation. By vastly increasing subsea capacity, the cable is expected to reduce internet costs, improve speeds and boost economic opportunities for millions across the continent.
The new infrastructure could help power future technologies such as 5G and cloud computing, enabling African businesses and consumers to participate more fully in the global digital economy.
