The Fragile Foundation of West Africa’s Digital Economy
The West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) has raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of the region’s digital infrastructure, warning that a lack of cable resilience is putting its $150 billion digital economy at risk. This warning comes in the wake of a significant incident that exposed critical weaknesses in the region’s submarine cable network.
Aliyu Aboki, WATRA’s Executive Secretary, highlighted these issues in a report released to the media. He described the current state of the West African cable network as resting on a “fragile foundation.” In March 2024, a series of submarine cable disruptions along the West African coast revealed a major flaw in the region’s digital infrastructure. For several hours and, in some cases, days, connectivity was severely degraded across multiple countries. This disruption had far-reaching consequences, including slowed banking systems, outages on digital platforms, and operational challenges for businesses relying on cloud infrastructure.
Aboki noted that while such incidents are not uncommon globally—most submarine cable faults result from fishing activity, anchoring, or natural seabed movement—the scale of the West African disruption was unprecedented. Multiple cables serving the region were affected simultaneously, significantly reducing available bandwidth and overwhelming existing redundancy. This event underscored the lesson that “capacity is not resilience.”
Key Infrastructure Systems in West Africa
West Africa relies on several major international cable systems, including the West Africa Cable System (WACS), the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), and the MainOne Cable. These systems collectively provide substantial international capacity. However, their routing patterns and landing configurations mean that a single disruption can affect multiple systems at once.
Following the 2024 incident, internet traffic in affected countries dropped sharply, with some estimates suggesting a decline of over 50 percent. Latency increased, and service quality deteriorated. Restoration timelines varied, but in some cases, it took several days, highlighting both physical repair constraints and administrative bottlenecks.
For policymakers and investors, the implications are clear: submarine cables are not just telecommunications infrastructure; they are foundational to economic activity. Daily Trust reports that the West African region, with a combined GDP of over $800 billion, is undergoing rapid digital transformation. Its digital economy, encompassing fintech, e-commerce, digital services, and connectivity, contributes between $100 billion and $150 billion annually, with strong growth prospects.
The Importance of Reliable Connectivity
More than 95 percent of global internet traffic travels through submarine cables, a statistic consistently emphasized by the International Telecommunication Union. In West Africa, where digital adoption is accelerating rapidly, the reliability of these systems is directly linked to economic performance. Outages translate into lost transactions, reduced productivity, and weakened investor confidence.
Aboki stressed that without resilient connectivity, the momentum of West Africa’s digital economy cannot be sustained. Historically, resilience has been treated as a secondary consideration—something addressed after deployment rather than embedded at the point of investment. This approach is no longer tenable.
He added: “Across global discussions, including those involving the World Bank, there is growing recognition that digital infrastructure must be approached through the lens of long-term risk and sustainability. Resilience shapes risk premiums, insurance costs, and financing decisions. Where it is poorly defined, it is treated as an additional cost. Where it is clearly linked to reduced downtime and operational continuity, it becomes a value proposition—one that can unlock capital. For underserved regions, this distinction is critical.”
A Shift in Perspective
The challenge is not simply to build more cables, but to build systems that are financeable, durable, and regionally coherent. Addressing this requires a shift in perspective. Submarine cable resilience must be treated as a regional public good, supported by coordinated policy frameworks.
This call for a new approach underscores the need for collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that the region’s digital infrastructure can withstand future disruptions. By prioritizing resilience, West Africa can secure its position as a dynamic player in the global digital economy.
