Google’s Equiano Subsea Cable arrives in Nigeria. The Equiano cable is predicted to boost internet speeds by six, lower retail internet prices by 20%, and boost internet penetration by six percentage points.
Google and cable landing partner WIOCC announced the arrival of their state-of-the-art Equiano subsea cable, which is projected to have a substantial impact on Nigeria’s current and future international internet access needs. The Equiano cable will begin in Portugal and stretch over 12,000 kilometres down Africa’s West Coast, stopping in Lomé, Togo, Lagos, Nigeria, Swakopmund, Namibia, Rupert’s Bay, Saint Helena, and Melkbosstrand, South Africa.
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Google announced that it would build a valuable new high-capacity internet connection between Africa and Europe. The Equiano cable, named for Nigerian-born writer and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, would aid in the country’s digital development. Nigeria has created five start-up unicorns (businesses worth more than $1 billion) in the last five years.
According to an impact assessment study conducted by Africa Practice and Genesis Analytics, once the state-of-the-art, high-capacity Equiano cable is entirely operational, which is expected later this year, Nigeria’s digital revolution will be accelerated. It is predicted to enhance internet speeds by a factor of six, lower internet retail prices by 21%, and increase internet penetration by six percentage points in terms of connectivity.
According to projections, the cable is expected to improve GDP by USD 10.1 billion by 2025. It is also expected to generate 1.6 million new jobs by 2025. It is also estimated to save 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 per year in sustainability potential. All of these changes will have a massive impact on Nigeria’s efforts to develop a robust digital economy, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said in his remarks at the virtual launch of the cable in Lagos.
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“Google is committed to assisting Africa’s digital revolution, and we are pleased to see the impact of Equiano’s landing in Nigeria,” said Juliet Ehimuan, Director, West Africa at Google. Equiano has been developed in collaboration with established partners and in-country specialists to ensure that it has the most significant impact in Nigeria and Africa.
“Equiano is poised to make a long-term contribution to the development of Nigeria’s communications infrastructure, and today marks a significant milestone in that process. We’re excited to keep our promise to be a part of Africa’s digital transformation.”