Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja — Nigeria is engaged in advanced discussions with Alphabet Inc.’s Google to secure the construction of a new undersea fibre-optic cable aimed at significantly strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and resilience, senior government officials have confirmed. The talks, which are at an advanced stage, reflect Nigeria’s effort to diversify its internet connectivity routes and reduce the risk of widespread service disruptions that have periodically affected the nation’s digital economy.
The discussions were disclosed by Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), who told Bloomberg News that Nigeria’s current reliance on undersea cables that follow similar geographic paths represents a “single point of failure” for the country’s internet connectivity. According to Abdullahi, augmenting existing subsea links — particularly those connecting Nigeria to Europe — is crucial to building redundancy and enhancing network stability.
Undersea cables carry the vast majority of global internet traffic, and Nigeria — Africa’s most populous nation — hosts multiple major systems that land on its shores. These include existing structures like the West Africa Cable System (WACS), Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), MainOne, SAT-3/WASC and others that link the country with international digital networks. However, outages caused by cable damage have exposed the vulnerability of relying on concentrated routes, prompting calls for expanded and diversified infrastructure.
Google, which has already invested heavily in African digital infrastructure, is reported to be planning multiple new subsea cable projects and connectivity hubs on the continent. The talks with Nigeria are part of that broader strategy — which aims not only to extend Internet capacity but also to support the rapid growth of data services, cloud computing and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence across Africa. Google earlier announced plans to roll out four new infrastructure hubs in Africa designed to support future undersea cable systems and expand the reach of connectivity across the continent.
Although details of the proposed cable’s route, funding and timeline have not been disclosed, sources indicate that a Google spokesperson confirmed discussions are ongoing but declined to provide specifics. Nigerian officials noted the government was also in discussions with other global tech firms as part of a wider push to attract private investment in the nation’s digital economy.
The effort is seen as part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to establish itself as a regional digital hub, improve internet access nationwide, and support economic activity in technology-driven sectors. Enhancing submarine cable capacity is expected to benefit a wide range of stakeholders from telecommunication companies and digital service providers to startups and large enterprises that depend on reliable high-speed connectivity.
Internet disruptions tied to subsea cable damage are by no means theoretical for Nigeria. In recent years, outages linked to undersea cable faults off the West African coast — including near Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — have triggered significant business interruptions for banks, telecommunications carriers and other critical services, underscoring the urgency of infrastructure resilience.
NITDA’s Abdullahi has emphasised that the addition of new subsea capacity would not only reduce the likelihood of future service blackouts but would also unlock improved access to global cloud platforms, attract foreign direct investment in tech, and accelerate the adoption of emerging digital tools across the Nigerian economy.
By pursuing multiple connectivity partners and infrastructure projects, including the advanced talks with Google, Nigeria aims to safeguard its digital future, reduce dependency on any single cable route, and position itself at the forefront of Africa’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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