MainOne, a West African Equinix company, has launched 2Africa’s 45,000-kilometre subsea cable system in Akwa Ibom State.
According to a statement by the company, the cable system would connect Akwa Ibom State with other regions in Nigeria, Europe, Asia, and other parts of Africa.
“The landing of this 180Tbps capacity submarine cable infrastructure will accelerate the propagation of 4G and 5G as well as fixed broadband accessibility, supercharging digital transformation in critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy,” the statement said.
Abayomi Adebanjo, regional business head of MainOne, said the aim of the submarine cable landing system to a coastal state in Nigeria outside of Lagos is to provide broadband internet capacity to the underserved and unserved markets in Nigeria.
He said the move would help democratise broadband access as well as provide connectivity and technological advancements, which will empower businesses, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and other sectors to thrive.
“Digital infrastructure stands as the integral backbone for a thriving digital economy. The unveiling of this submarine fibre optic cable, spanning 45,000km in length, with a design capacity of up to 180 Tbp signifies the creation of a limitless gateway that will bridge the digital divide by democratising access to millions of people in Nigeria,” he added.
Umo Eno, governor of Akwa Ibom state said the project would put the state on the map in the area of ICT innovation.
He added that the Submarine cable would boost the technology drive of the ARISE agenda of his administration, and called on the youths to take advantage of the infrastructure to explore their potential in Information and Communication Technology.
The governor promised to provide MainOne with the necessary support to enable the company to operate freely within the state.
