“Nigeria’s Internet 90% Restored”- NCC

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said that voice and data services affected by cuts to undersea fiber optic cables along the coasts of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal would be fully restored today (Tuesday).

ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo told The PUNCH newspaper that substantial progress had been made to minimize disruption caused by the cable faults. Cuts to the West African Cable System and African Coast to Europe submarine cables last week slowed internet speeds for many Nigerian internet users, businesses, banks and telecom companies who rely on these underwater digital highways for connectivity.

Over the weekend, internet service providers worked tirelessly to reroute traffic to alternative undersea cables not impacted by the damage in order to maintain communications. While some users noticed gradual improvement, others continued facing delays and congestion as networks adjusted traffic loads.

The Nigerian Communications Commission stated that internet speeds had been restored to approximately 90% of normal levels by Monday thanks to backup connectivity activated by mobile and fixed line operators. All telecom providers routing traffic through the damaged cables were affected to varying degrees.

ALTON believes disruptions will be fully resolved today once repairs are complete. Government ministers have additionally pledged global cooperation to better protect these vital submarine infrastructure assets from future disruption. Their reliability is critical in today’s digital world as they transmit nearly all international voice and internet traffic between continents.

While painful, incidents like these highlights Nigeria’s need to further diversify its international connectivity options and network infrastructure resilience to undersea cable faults that can still occur despite maintenance efforts. Collaborations are underway to safeguard this pillar of our digital economy.