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MainOne, a leading communications services and network solutions provider led by Nigerian executive Funke Opeke has finalized a significant partnership with the Akwa Ibom State government in Nigeria. The collaboration aims to revolutionize high-speed connectivity within the South-South region of Nigeria.
The groundbreaking agreement, signed by MainOne, an operating subsidiary of multinational digital infrastructure company Equinix, will oversee the construction of approximately 140 kilometers of metro fiber infrastructure. This initiative intends to unlock the full potential of digital connectivity for the entirety of South-South Nigeria.
MainOne enhances Nigeria’s digital infrastructure
This strategic move follows MainOne’s recent accomplishment of landing the 45,000-kilometer 2Africa subsea cable system at Qua Iboe Beach in Akwa Ibom. The connectivity facilitated by this submarine cable is poised to bridge the gap not only within Akwa Ibom but also across underserved and unserved regions of Nigeria. Additionally, it will effectively link the state with Europe, Asia, and other parts of Africa.
The submarine cable infrastructure boasts an impressive capacity of 180 terabits per second, promising to catalyze the rapid expansion of 4G, 5G, and fixed broadband access. This expansion will facilitate a comprehensive digital transformation across critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy.
MainOne, recognized as West Africa’s leading communications services and network solutions provider, operates a submarine communications cable stretching from Portugal to South Africa under Main Street Technologies, a technology group founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Funke Opeke.
MainOne’s West African connectivity success
Equinix, a multinational digital infrastructure company led by U.S. businessman Charles Meyers, completed the $320-million acquisition of West African data center and connectivity solutions provider MainOne in April 2022. This acquisition is part of Equinix’s strategy to become a leading African carrier-neutral digital infrastructure company.
On March 25, 2024, MainOne made headlines by announcing the successful restoration of services and the establishment of regional interconnections within West Africa’s digital ecosystem. This achievement, accomplished within a repair timeline of six to eight weeks following damage to a submarine cable, comes after widespread internet outages experienced across various parts of Africa.
