Multinational technology company, Google and West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) have announced the landing of its subsea cable, Equiano, in Lagos, Nigeria, four weeks after landing in Togo. The subsea cable will connect Africa with Europe, starting from Portugal, and run along the West Coast of Africa, with branching units along the way that can be used to extend connectivity to additional African countries till it terminates in South Africa.
Equiano, named after Nigerian-born writer and abolitionist, Olaudah Equiano, who was enslaved as a boy - is a state-of-the-art infrastructure based on space-division multiplexing (SDM) technology, with approximately 20 times more network capacity is expected to improve broadband penetration, and quality of service as well as advance the digital economy in Nigeria by 2025.
Google’s West Africa Director, Juliet Ehimuan, while announcing the arrival of the cable, noted that “Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest economy. Still, the share of people using the internet stood at approximately 35% as of 2020 – double what it was in 2012. Across much of the country, people lack affordable, reliable & quality access, which limits their ability to benefit from, and contribute to, the digital economy.
“Since 2017, the Nigerian government has been actively working on its digital transformation programs as part of plans to grow its domestic sectors.
“These initiatives have proven pivotal to the success of many industries in the country, especially the startup space. In the last five years, startups in Nigeria have produced five unicorns (startups valued at over a billion dollars). Businesses are also benefiting significantly from the usage of internet platforms, with total e-commerce annual expenditure predicted to climb to $75 billion by 2025, up from its current projection of US $12 billion.
“Though a great deal of progress has been made, studies suggest that faster internet connections, better user experiences, and reduced internet costs will help accelerate these benefits.
“Landing this cable comes as part of critical stages leading up to its deployment later this year, and it is expected to deliver up to 20 times more capacity than the region’s prior cables. We’ve worked with established partners and in-country experts to ensure that Equiano has the greatest potential effect in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
“A recent economic impact assessment conducted by Africa Practice and Genesis Analytics states that Equiano’s arrival in Nigeria is expected to result in faster internet speeds and significantly improve people’s experiences while online. Internet speeds in Nigeria are expected to grow almost sixfold by 2025, and retail internet prices are forecasted to decline by 21% over the same period. The same study found that by 2025, real GDP in Nigeria is forecast to be USD 10.1 billion higher than it otherwise would have been without Equiano and that the cable would indirectly generate roughly 1.6 million new jobs between 2022 and 2025.
“We are partnering with multiple key telecom players, including our landing party, the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), where Equiano lands to ensure that the cable can reach more businesses and end-users across Nigeria and the African continent more broadly
“With Equiano, we look forward to being an even more integral part of the digital transformation journey in Nigeria.”
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who also witnessed the landing on Thursday stated that the country would enjoy a boost of 1.6 million jobs and $10 billion in additional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the next three years, on account of the new cable system.
The governor added that the landing of the Equiano Sea Cable System will firmly position Nigeria as the regional connectivity and content hub for West Africa, attracting cloud operators, content providers, content distribution networks and their associated ecosystems.
He concluded by commending Google LLC, the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) and other investors for identifying with his administration’s vision for a 21st century Lagos and megacity all will forever be proud of.
Chris Wood, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WIOCC described the landing of the cables as a major investment for Nigeria’s digital economy and Lagos State in particular.
Equiano will be deployed in Namibia and South Africa later this year, completing the connection between Africa and Europe.
