Experts Urge Investment in Local Switching, Transmission to Improve Connectivity

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experts have called on Nigeria and other African countries to increase investment in locally hosted switching and transmission infrastructure to enhance internet connectivity.

Speaking at the Nigerian Peering and Interconnection Forum in Lagos, industry leaders, including Luli MD/CEO Olufemi Imoleayo Adeyeye, Cedarview Communication’s MD Olawale Owoeye, and TelCables Nigeria CEO Fernando Fernandes, highlighted Africa’s limited interconnected cable infrastructure as a key challenge.

The experts noted that insufficient interconnection among subsea and terrestrial cables often leads to disruptions in internet service when cable faults occur.

The solution, they advised, lies in developing local digital infrastructure to support internal transactions, reducing reliance on international connections and mitigating the impact of external cable cuts.

Fernandes, therefore, emphasized the need for Africa to strengthen internet resilience by hosting content locally, raising awareness among policymakers, and investing in robust internet infrastructure.

Subsea cable security and resilience were also discussed, with a call for operators to prioritize redundancy and cybersecurity in undersea cable infrastructure to safeguard global communication networks.