• Contact Us
  • Login
Subscribe
LittleAfrica News
  • Home
  • Trump Admin
  • NYC 2025 Elections
    • Public Advocate Candidates Forum
    • Comptroller Candidates Forum
    • Meet The Candidates Video Interview Series
  • Metro
  • U.S.
  • International
    • Africa
    • Caribbean
    • Europe
    • Latin America
  • Podcasts
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Trump Admin
  • NYC 2025 Elections
    • Public Advocate Candidates Forum
    • Comptroller Candidates Forum
    • Meet The Candidates Video Interview Series
  • Metro
  • U.S.
  • International
    • Africa
    • Caribbean
    • Europe
    • Latin America
  • Podcasts
No Result
View All Result
LittleAfrica News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Africa

Undersea Cable Failures Disrupt Internet in West and Central Africa

Mymoena Davids by Mymoena Davids
March 15, 2024
in Africa, International
Undersea Cable Failures Disrupt Internet in West and Central Africa
0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

On Thursday, March 14th, a significant internet outage swept across West and Central Africa, severely impacting connectivity in countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Benin, and Burkina Faso. The disruption, attributed to failures in several undersea cables, underscored the fragility of the region’s digital infrastructure. The cause of these failures remains undetermined, leaving millions without reliable internet access.

The African subsea cable operator Seacom reported the incident first, noting that its West African cable system had experienced downtime. In response, traffic was automatically redirected to the Google Equiano cable to maintain service continuity. This mitigation effort highlights the interconnected nature of global internet infrastructure and the immediate steps taken by operators to address connectivity issues.

While some companies, including Nigeria’s MainOne, were able to get internet services back following the initial outage, many are still struggling with providing stable connections during this time. The companies that are in charge of the undersea cables announced that it would take an estimated five weeks to repair the damage made to the cables, leading to spotty internet access for many across the continent. Ghana’s National Communications Authority released a statement saying the “five-week estimate is for full-service restoration.”

The outage’s impact was widespread, with NetBlocks and Cloudflare reporting significant drops in internet connectivity across the affected countries. In Ivory Coast, for instance, internet connectivity was reduced to around just 4%, showcasing the severity of the disruption. This situation has brought to light the critical reliance on undersea cables for internet access in Africa, where a higher proportion of internet traffic is on mobile devices compared to other continents.

The response to the cable failures has involved a range of stakeholders, from local telecom operators like Vodacom in South Africa to international organizations monitoring cybersecurity and internet governance. Efforts to route around the damage have been complicated, potentially reducing the capacity available to other countries and exacerbating the outage’s effects.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in the current internet infrastructure in Africa. It has sparked a conversation about the need for more resilient systems that can withstand such failures and prevent widespread disruptions. The reliance on a few undersea cables for the continent’s Internet connectivity poses a significant risk, emphasizing the importance of investing in alternative routes and technologies to ensure stable and reliable access.

As recovery efforts continue, the outage has highlighted the urgent need for improvements in Africa’s internet infrastructure. Diversifying connectivity sources and enhancing the robustness of the network can mitigate the impact of similar incidents in the future. This event is a call to action for both regional and global stakeholders to collaborate on strengthening the digital backbone of Africa, ensuring that the continent remains connected to the global network.

Tags: AfricaCablesConnectionConnectivityDeep sea CablesInternetUnderwater

Related Posts

Nigerians Face New U.S. Visa Limits Amid Reciprocity Review
U.S.

Nigerians Face New U.S. Visa Limits Amid Reciprocity Review

July 10, 2025
0
Trump Warns of 10% Tariff for Nations Aligning with BRICS
Trump Administration

Trump Warns of 10% Tariff for Nations Aligning with BRICS

July 8, 2025
0
Mkhwanazi Alleges Interference by Top Officials in Political Killing Investigations
South Africa

Mkhwanazi Alleges Interference by Top Officials in Political Killing Investigations

July 7, 2025
0
Poland to Reinstate Border Controls with Germany and Lithuania Over Irregular Migration
International

Poland to Reinstate Border Controls with Germany and Lithuania Over Irregular Migration

July 1, 2025
0
Europe Hit by Record Heat Wave as Wildfires Spread and Warnings Rise
Europe

Europe Hit by Record Heat Wave as Wildfires Spread and Warnings Rise

June 30, 2025
0

VOICE and LAN Newspapers Retailers

LittleAfrica News Logo

Local, National, and International News for the Diaspora

BOMESI - Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute

Recent Posts

  • Mayor Adams Announces $80 Million to Expand Early Childhood Services
  • Mamdani Faces Backlash Over Comments Saying That Cops Should Not Respond to Domestic Violence Calls, Mayor Adams Weighs In
  • Black Families Disproportionately Targeted for Child Welfare Investigations in NYC, Report Finds
  • New York Strengthens Extreme Weather Preparedness with Major Investments
  • ‘Rise Up NYC’ Returns This Summer Offering Free World-Class Performances in All Five Boroughs, Adams Announces

Menu

  • Home
  • Trump Admin
  • NYC 2025 Elections
    • Public Advocate Candidates Forum
    • Comptroller Candidates Forum
    • Meet The Candidates Video Interview Series
  • Metro
  • U.S.
  • International
    • Africa
    • Caribbean
    • Europe
    • Latin America
  • Podcasts

© 2025 LittleAfrica News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Mona Davids, Founder and Publisher
  • Mymoena Kalinisan-Davids, Director of Communications and Editor-in-Chief
  • Newspaper Digital Editions

© 2025 LittleAfrica News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?