According to the latest report, an undersea cable owned by Google landed in Togo on Friday, the company said, the latest in a multi-year project to bring cheaper internet access to users across the continent.
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Moreover, the Equiano cable, the first to reach Africa, meanders from Portugal and will double internet speeds for Togo’s 8 million residents, Google said in a statement. Internet usage in African countries is growing rapidly, but their networks are often surprisingly slow, dragging down economic development.
Moreover, the new line will also land in Nigeria, Namibia, and South Africa, with possible branches providing connections to nearby countries. It is expected to start operations by the end of this year.
According to a 2020 report by GSMA Intelligence, sub-Saharan Africa is the least connected region in the world, with around a quarter of the population still lacking mobile broadband coverage, compared with just 7% globally.
Furthermore, Togo will be the first beneficiary. The cable is expected to reduce internet prices by 14% by 2025, according to an assessment by Google-commissioned African practices and Genesis Analytics. Google said the cable would indirectly create 37,000 jobs in Togo and add $193 million to the gross domestic product by 2025.
