Recently, many African countries faced internet troubles because of damaged undersea cables. NetBlocks, a company that tracks internet connectivity, confirmed severe disruptions, especially in West Africa. Although there’s speculation about Houthi rebels causing the damage, it’s yet to be officially confirmed.
Ghana’s Chamber of Telecommunications stated that multiple submarine cables entering the country are affected, leading to poor connections for mobile networks and internet services.
Nigeria experienced disruptions too, affecting bank transactions via apps and USSD codes. Ivory Coast’s major providers, Orange CI and MTN, reported similar issues.
NetBlocks highlighted West Africa as the most affected region, with significant drops in connectivity. Dimension Data, a South African company, redirected traffic due to cable failures in the West Africa Cable System.
However, Seacom, the alternative provider, faces delays in fixing its damaged cable in the Red Sea.
The damaged cables, including AAE-1, Seacom, EIG, and TGN systems, pose challenges for repair due to geopolitical tensions.
Notably, this isn’t the first time undersea cable damage caused disruptions; similar incidents occurred in 2020 and 2018, affecting internet connectivity in West Africa.
Moreover, troubles extend beyond Africa, hinting at a more widespread issue this time, possibly affecting some European countries as well.
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