MTN Group, the leading telecommunications provider in Africa, has announced that its services in several West African countries have been disrupted due to breaks in multiple major undersea cables.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the telco giant attributed the ongoing disconnection to the damage incurred by several undersea cables, affecting connectivity in various West African nations.
The disruption comes following the partnership between MTN Nigeria and Bayobab, a pan-African digital connectivity provider, to land a 45,000km subsea cable known as ‘2Africa’ in Nigeria.
The cable, which was announced on February 22, 2024, features landing stations at Mopo-Onibeju Lekki area of Lagos and in Qua Iboe, Akwa Ibom, positioning itself as the longest underwater cable globally.
Spanning three continents and traversing through 33 countries, the ‘2Africa’ cable network significantly bolsters internet connectivity across Africa and beyond.
MTN Group assured its customers of ongoing efforts to resolve the disruption promptly.
The company affirmed its commitment to swiftly addressing the challenges posed by the cable breaks, noting that alternative network paths are being explored, and engagements with consortium partners are underway to expedite the repair process for the damaged cables.
“Recognising the critical importance of consistent internet and communication services, we are fully committed to swiftly addressing these disruptions,” MTN said.
“To mitigate the impact on our customers in the affected countries, our operations are actively working to reroute traffic through alternative network paths and engaging with our consortium partners to expedite the repair process for the damaged cables.
“Leveraging our robust and resilient network infrastructure, we aim to minimise service interruptions and maintain connectivity.
“We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to resolve this situation.”
MTN Nigeria also released a separate statement acknowledging the network disruption, attributing it to damage sustained by international undersea cables across East and West Africa.
