Dignitaries from the Akwa Ibom State Government at the landing of 2Africa’s submarine cable in Qua Iboe, Akwa Ibom State recently.

MainOne, a West African data centre provider, has landed the 2Africa submarine cable system in Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria.

The company says this marks a significant milestone in enhancing broadband connectivity in the South-South, South-East and North-Central regions of Nigeria.

According to MainOne, spanning 45,000km in length, 2Africa is one of the world’s largest subsea cable projects and will interconnect Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a design capacity of up to 180Tbps.

The significance of 2Africa, the company says, lies in its capacity to address critical Internet needs and enhance reliability across vast expanses of Africa.

Furthermore, 2Africa serves as a catalyst for the advancement of 4G, 5G and fixed broadband accessibility, says MainOne.

MainOne says Akwa Ibom’s selection as a landing site underscores its strategic importance in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

“By offering cable diversity and resiliency, 2Africa contributes significantly to the country’s digital infrastructure resilience,” it said.

MainOne will facilitate the establishment of a terrestrial metro fibre network in Akwa Ibom State and the South-South zone of Nigeria, connecting enterprises and people in the region to the submarine cable system.

The terrestrial metro fibre network will also address Internet distribution constraints across the North-Central zone and southern regions of Nigeria, bridging the gap in unserved and underserved areas.

It adds: “By hosting the submarine cable system landing and the fibre cable interconnection, Akwa Ibom State, the South-South region and Nigeria will unlock numerous economic and social benefits, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation, and improved public service delivery.”