Nigeria: NCC Expresses Support for Meta’s 2Africa Cable Landing in Nigeria

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulatory authority for the telecoms industry, has affirmed its full support for Meta’s initiative to land the 2Africa Cable in Nigeria.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, extended the commission’s support, emphasizing that it would be provided to law-abiding investors such as Meta (formerly Facebook). He commended Meta for its positive response to Nigeria’s pursuit of investments that align with the government’s goal of fostering a robust digital economy.

During a recent visit to the NCC’s headquarters in Abuja, a delegation from Meta, led by Kojo Boakye, the Vice President for Africa, the Middle-East, and Turkey, met with Dr. Maida. The EVC highlighted that regulatory support for investors, including operators in Nigeria, is contingent on their adherence to the rules and regulations governing the sector.

Dr. Maida underscored the NCC’s commitment to promoting compliance with industry laws, regulations, and guidelines. This approach aims to create a level playing field for all licensees and stakeholders, fostering healthy competition and ensuring sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms sector.

Boakye informed Dr. Maida about Meta’s ongoing efforts to land the 2Africa Cable in Nigeria. The 2Africa submarine cable project, spanning 45,000 kilometers, is set to become one of the world’s largest subsea cable initiatives. It will interconnect Europe (via Egypt), Asia (via Saudi Arabia), and Africa, with a design capacity of up to 180 terabytes per second (Tbps). The cable is expected to go live in 2023, providing substantial Internet capacity and reliability across Africa, especially in Nigeria.

Boakye sought the NCC’s support in navigating legal and regulatory processes to facilitate the landing of the submarine cable, complementing existing backbone infrastructure in Nigeria. He revealed that Meta, through a consortium, plans to land the 2Africa cable simultaneously in Lagos and Akwa-Ibom states, ensuring expanded connectivity for those yet to be connected and improved access for those already connected.