Faith Nyasuguta
A recent report by Bloomberg has highlighted widespread internet outages across West Africa due to faults in underwater cable lines, according to data from internet analysis firms such as NetBlocks, Kentik, and Cloudflare. The cause of the damage is still under investigation.
Doug Madory, director of internet analysis firm Kentik, described the situation as a “devastating blow to internet connectivity along the west coast of Africa,” with expected disruptions lasting for weeks.
NetBlocks reported via X, formerly known as Twitter, that eight West African countries were affected, with Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Benin experiencing the most severe impact, alongside Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon.
The root of the problem traces back to a month prior when three telecommunications cables were severed in the Red Sea. The Internet Cable Protection Committee and the US attributed the incident to a cargo ship anchor sunk by Houthi terrorists.
HGC Global Communication estimated that 25% of the traffic in the area relied on the damaged cables, necessitating rerouting through alternative paths, including those to Africa’s west coast.
Major telecommunication companies like MTN and Vodacom acknowledged being affected by the cable faults. Vodacom mentioned “multiple undersea cable failures” impacting network providers, while MTN disclosed service disruptions in West Africa. Both companies assured customers of efforts to reroute traffic and expedite repair processes.
Microsoft Corporation also reported disruptions to its cloud services and Microsoft 365 apps across Africa due to impacted fiber cables on the west coast. This incident underscores the interconnectedness of internet infrastructure and its susceptibility to disruptions, affecting various cloud providers and public internet services.
This situation mirrors a similar incident in 2023 when an underwater landslide damaged the West African Cable System and the South Atlantic 3, highlighting the vulnerability of critical internet infrastructure in the region.
However, recent progress was made with Meta’s 2Africa subsea cable project reaching Nigeria’s coastal regions, aiming to connect 32 African countries and bolster economic development while enhancing 4G and 5G services.
In conclusion, the recent internet outages in West Africa show the importance of robust and resilient internet infrastructure to support economic growth and connectivity in the region. Efforts to address vulnerabilities and expand connectivity, such as the 2Africa project, are crucial for Africa’s digital transformation and sustainable development.
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