2Africa Cable Activates: Meta Links East-West Africa for Trade, Payments, and Smart Cities

November,20 ,2025 - Meta, in partnership with a consortium of global and regional telecommunications providers, has announced the activation of the core 2Africa Subsea Cable system, a landmark project set to transform Africa’s digital landscape. Stretching 45,000 kilometers and connecting 33 countries across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe, 2Africa is now the world’s longest open-access subsea cable system and the first to link East and West Africa in a single continuous loop.

The cable’s unprecedented capacity is greater than all of Africa’s existing subsea cables combined. It is expected to significantly enhance internet reliability, speed, and affordability for millions of users. This connectivity boost comes at a pivotal moment as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) drives efforts to integrate Africa’s digital economy. Real-time cross-border payments, digital marketplaces, and cloud-based financial services are among the sectors poised to benefit, enabling businesses and consumers to participate more seamlessly in regional and global commerce.

Kojo Boakye, Vice President for Public Policy (Africa, Middle East & Türkiye) at Meta, described the cable’s activation as a “continental unlock,” highlighting its potential to empower African businesses, accelerate economic growth, and foster a more competitive digital economy.

Beyond trade and payments, the 2Africa system is expected to serve as a backbone for the continent’s emerging smart-infrastructure projects. With urban centers increasingly investing in digitization, reliable high-capacity connectivity is critical for applications such as intelligent transport systems, smart energy grids, cloud-based public services, and Internet of Things (IoT) networks across manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics. Alex Handrah Aime, Meta’s Vice President of Network Investments, noted that the cable was engineered “for scale, reliability, and the next wave of cloud and AI experiences,” underscoring its role in supporting Africa’s future smart cities.