The lion king

Google’s submarine cable in Africa arrives in Lagos, to improve internet speeds

The American technology giant, Google, has announced the arrival of its submarine cable, Equiano, in Lagos, Nigeria.

The undersea cable landing in Africa’s second largest city is expected to improve broadband penetration and quality of service, as well as advance Nigeria’s digital economy by 2025.

This was made known in a note from Google’s West Africa Director, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, where she said the cable landed in Lagos today, making it its second successful landing. in Africa after reaching Togo last month.

The cable, named after Olaudah Equiano, a Nigerian-born writer and abolitionist, is one of the first in a series of landings in Africa for the submarine cable and is expected to stretch from Portugal along the west coast of Africa to South Africa.

What Google’s West Africa director says

Ehimuan in the note said: “Nigeria is the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet the share of people using the internet was around 35% in 2020, double what it was in 2012. In much of the country, people lack affordable, reliable and quality internet access. , which limits their ability to benefit and contribute. to the digital economy.

“Since 2017, the Nigerian government has been actively working on its digital transformation programs as part of its national sectors growth plans.

“These initiatives have proven critical to the success of many industries in the country, especially the start-up space. Over the past five years, start-ups in Nigeria have produced five unicorns (start-ups valued at over $1 billion). Businesses also benefit significantly from the use of internet platforms, with total annual e-commerce spending expected to climb to US$75 billion by 2025 from US$12 billion currently.

“While much progress has been made, studies suggest that faster internet connections, better user experiences and lower internet costs will help accelerate these benefits.

“The landing of this cable is among the critical milestones leading to its deployment later this year, and it is expected to provide up to 20 times more capacity than previous cables in the region. We have worked with established partners and local experts to ensure that Equiano has the greatest potential effect in Nigeria and across Africa.

“A recent economic impact assessment conducted by Africa Practice and Genesis Analytics indicates that Equiano’s arrival in Nigeria is expected to result in faster internet speeds and significantly improve people’s experience when online. Internet speeds in Nigeria are expected to increase almost sixfold by 2025, and retail Internet prices are expected to fall by 21% over the same period. The same study found that by 2025, Nigeria’s real GDP is expected to be $10.1 billion higher than it would have been without Equiano and that cable would indirectly generate approximately 1.6 million new jobs between 2022 and 2025.

“We are partnering with several key telecom players, including our landing group, the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), where Equiano lands to ensure cable can reach more businesses and users. endpoints across Nigeria and the African continent more broadly.

“With Equiano, we look forward to becoming even more of an integral part of Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.”

What you should know

  • Recall that last month the submarine cable landed in Togo and is expected to pass from Portugal along the west coast of Africa connecting Europe to Togo, Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa and Saint. Helen.
  • Google had earlier announced that it would work with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to achieve national ubiquitous broadband access targets.
  • NCC’s Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said Equiano will reduce the cost of retail data in the country, adding that the partnership will accelerate the digital economy and commitment to improving national security. country’s targets through technological progress.