This month, Google will launch its Equiano cable system in Nigeria. The plan was presented Thursday (April 7) by Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor (photo, left), Google’s Director for the West African region, during a meeting with Isa Ali Pantami (photo, right), Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.
“Nigeria is a major landing point for the Equiano cable, and the launch of this major milestone is expected in April 2022,” said Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor.
Equiano will touch down on Elegushi Beach in Lagos. It is Nigeria’s sixth international subsea cable system connection. The project will run concurrently with other Google digital investments in the country.
In 2019, Google announced the deployment of its Equiano subsea fiber optic cable system. The system was supposed to go live in 2021, but this announcement comes just a month after the Equiano cable arrived in Togo, its first African destination.
Equiano is part of Google’s plan to invest $1 billion in Africa over the next five years to support the continent’s digital transformation.
Once completed, the Equiano cable system is expected to improve broadband connectivity in Nigeria and neighboring countries by fivefold. It will also contribute to the growth of the West African country’s digital economy by creating 1.6 million jobs.
