The 45,000km long 2Africa subsea cable, owned by Meta, Bayobab, and other consortium partners, has landed in Qua Iboe, Akwa Ibom State in South-South Nigeria.

Landed by Equinix-owned MainOne, 2Africa is expected to address the growing demand for connectivity in the South-South, and provide internet access that catalyzes social, economic and technological development.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom, Umo Eno, who attended the ceremony to receive the 2Africa submarine fiber optic cable from MainOne at Qua Iboe beach, in the Ibeno Local Government Area, expressed his joy “It is befitting that you have decided to launch a signature project today in Akwa Ibom. I just want to thank God for the things that you have brought here to us. We celebrate you and we just want to assure you that we will do all we can to support this project.”

“While we celebrate this great effort that would engrave Akwa Ibom State on the map of ICT innovation as well as economic and technological benefit around the world. We want to reassure our people of our readiness to partner with creative entrepreneurship projects and support them to thrive,” he continued.

This subsea expansion to Nigeria’s South-South region is a significant boost to Nigeria’s broadband plan and extends subsea capacity from Lagos, to other parts of the country, where connectivity is needed. MainOne’s CEO, Funke Opeke previously commented, “A fully connected Nigeria is a more economically prosperous Nigeria, a better educated Nigeria where access to social services and health-care services can reach more population, using technology to drive economic development.”

Ahead of the cable landing, Meta executives had engaged the Nigerian telecommunications regulator on the project, with its Vice President for Africa, the Middle-East, and Turkey, Kojo Boakye, leading a delegation to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja to seek regulatory support.

The 180 TBPS 2Africa subsea cable has two landing ports in Nigeria; Lagos, via Bayobab, and Qua Iboe, Akwa Ibom, via MainOne.