A consortium of telecom giants has just taken a crucial step for the African digital landscape. By signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Via Africa project, players such as Orange, Sonatel, GUILAB, and Canalink are joining forces to deploy a next-generation submarine cable along the Atlantic coast.

A strategic path to resilience

The Via Africa project does not simply add capacity; its primary aim is diversification . By creating a new route between Europe and South Africa, the system ensures greater fault tolerance for international networks.

1. Anchor points in Europe: United Kingdom, France, Portugal.
2. Key landing points: Canary Islands, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria.
3. Future expansion: Extensions to the south are already planned to anticipate the explosion in demand for data on the continent.

A collaborative and sovereign governance model

Unlike infrastructures managed by a single entity, Via Africa relies on a consortium model. This choice offers several major advantages to investors (Orange Group, International Mauritania Telecom, Silverlinks, etc.):

1. Co-investment: Sharing of costs and risks.
2. Sovereignty: Each partner participates in design and operation decisions.
3. Openness: The project remains open to new members wishing to join the initiative.

"Open Cable": Technology at the service of growth

Thanks to an "open cable" architecture, this infrastructure will complement existing cables to offer more robust connectivity. The objective is twofold: to support the digital transformation of local businesses and to meet the growing needs of the population for high-speed internet access.

Next steps: Charting the course

The project is now entering its operational phase with two priorities:

1. Route study: Joint funding to determine the safest and most cost-effective route.
2. Call for tenders: The process for selecting the technical supplier (cable manufacturer) will be launched shortly.

Focus on Orange Côte d'Ivoire: A regional leader with over 35 million customers and a projected revenue of nearly 1,200 billion CFA francs in 2025, the Orange Group (including Burkina Faso and Liberia) is establishing itself as a key driver of digital integration. With 2,900 employees, the operator is leveraging this project to consolidate its leading position and promote digital inclusion in West Africa.