The Nigerian government is in advanced talks with Google for a new undersea cable to strengthen the country’s digital connectivity and resilience.
The country wants to augment existing undersea links with Europe, said the chief executive of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, as per Bloomberg on Tuesday.
Mr Inuwa said this was necessary at this time, calling Nigeria’s current reliance on cables that follow the same path “a single point of failure.”
Google earlier this year said it plans to expand its digital presence significantly in Africa with the development of four new strategic subsea cable connectivity hubs in the north, south, east, and west regions of the continent.
Already, Google is investing $2.1 million to accelerate Nigeria’s artificial intelligence (AI) growth, aiming to create one million digital jobs and bolster the country’s expanding technology economy.
This is aligned with Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, which is expected to play a meaningful role in the nation’s broader digital transformation. Projections indicate that AI could contribute up to $15 billion to Nigeria’s economy by 2030.
The fund will support partnerships with local organisations. To achieve these aims, the funding will support partnerships with local organisations working in digital skills development and cyber security.
The investment further signals global trust in Nigeria’s technology sector and underlines the nation’s role as a leader in Africa’s digital transformation. As new opportunities emerge, Google believes it support is set to help shape Nigeria’s economy and its place on the global technology stage.