MainOne’s Nigeria – Cameroun Submarine Cable (NCSCS),which is expected to cater for the increasing demand in reliable internet connection went live a few weeks ago.
This new development will be greatly advantageous to Nigeria’s strategic plan of providing quality internet access to its citizens via a National Broadband Network as Nigeria currently witnesses only 10% in broadband penetration while Cameroun stands at 5%.
The new cable system boasts of a 1,100 kilometer repeater submarine repeater cable which would deliver up to 12.8Tbps to broadband users in the country.
Built with branching units for strategic extension of its connectivity into Nigeria’s Escravos in Delta State, Qua Iboe in Akwa Ibom State, and Bonny Island in Rivers State, MainOne has concluded plans for a distribution hub in Port Harcourt, designed to bridge the technology gap between the South-South and the rest of Nigeria.
Addressing the public, Kazeem Oladepo, Mainone’s Regional Executive for West Africa promises that the company;
“…will continue to make deliberate and significant investments in connectivity projects that will facilitate increased access to broadband. The proposed extension of our submarine system to the Niger Delta region is particularly important for further development of the oil producing region of Nigeria, and will aid the region’s rapid transition from an oil-dependent economy to a knowledge-focused one.”
One of the major challenges faced by SMEs and startups based in the Niger Delta is the inadequate supply and exorbitant rates of reliable internet connection in the region. The foray of MainOne into the Southern part of the country would be a game changer; there would be a significant boost in economic activities in the region, technology leveraged businesses would witness an increase in numbers while those already in existence will witness faster and more efficient processes. This may just be the stimulus that Niger Delta based tech hubs have been waiting for as the future looks bright with the hundreds of startups that would be lighting up the Niger Delta landscape in the near future.
