While the first host country was to be Nigeria, the digital giant’s fiber optic cable has finally chosen Togo as its first African stopover. This reinforces the country’s ambitions as a digital hub in West Africa.
“Togo, which was not on the list of beneficiary countries of the first cohort, was integrated after several months of negotiations and it becomes the first African country to host the cable”; rejoiced the Togolese Minister of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation, Cina Lawson; on March 18, on the quay of Togo Terminal of the autonomous port of Lomé.
The ceremony, chaired by Head of State Faure Gnassingbé, marked the welcome to Togo, the submarine fiber optic cable from the digital giant Google, which is to link nine countries on the continent to the rest of Europe. from Lisbon to Cape Town.
“This success allows us to meet the requirements of the government roadmap on strengthening internet connection to the global network,” added the Togolese minister.
The cable, “which must offer 20 times the bandwidth of any other existing cable in West Africa”; must be synonymous with an increase in internet speed; an improvement in the experience users; and a reduction in data costs of more than 14% by 2025, according to data from his ministry.
“We are delighted that Togo is the cable’s first landing point on the African continent, as it aligns with the country’s ongoing efforts to promote digital inclusion for Africa,” said Nitin Gajria, Managing Director from Google for sub-Saharan Africa.