Nigeria is emerging as the beating heart of West Africa's digital revolution, with an impressive array of eight high-capacity submarine cables connecting its shores to the global internet. This remarkable infrastructure—including systems like Google's Equiano, Meta's 2Africa, MainOne, and WACS—delivers a combined capacity exceeding 360 terabits per second, dramatically reducing the cost of international connectivity and positioning Nigeria as a regional technology leader.

The success of these submarine cable projects offers valuable lessons in innovation and collaboration. Modern cables like 2Africa have achieved remarkable cost efficiency, bringing deployment costs down to approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per kilometre through smart engineering and open-access consortium models. This approach, which spreads costs and risks across multiple operators while preventing monopolies, has proven transformative for international connectivity.

What makes this achievement even more significant is the spirit of collaboration driving it forward. Meta's Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Sade Dada, highlighted how thinking differently about infrastructure can benefit everyone. "Innovative models exist that can significantly lower costs," she explained at a recent telecommunications forum in Abuja, "but realising their potential requires a willingness to think differently."

Perhaps most encouraging is the Nigerian Communications Commission's forward-thinking response to these new models. Rather than resisting unfamiliar approaches, the NCC has actively engaged with stakeholders, adapted licensing frameworks, and worked to understand how open-access arrangements can benefit the nation. This regulatory maturity has been instrumental in bringing cutting-edge projects like 2Africa to fruition.

The next frontier—and the next opportunity—lies in extending this connectivity success inland. The federal government has set an ambitious goal of expanding Nigeria's fibre backbone to approximately 90,000 kilometres, with estimated investment needs of $1.5 to $2 billion. While terrestrial deployment presents different challenges than submarine cables, including right-of-way negotiations, varied state-level requirements, and infrastructure protection, these are precisely the kinds of challenges that collaboration and innovation can address.

Industry leaders are increasingly recognizing that the solutions pioneered in international connectivity can inform domestic expansion. The open-access models, consortium approaches, and regulatory collaboration that made submarine cables successful offer a roadmap for more efficient terrestrial deployment. Bayo Juba of IHS Nigeria and other industry voices are actively working to streamline processes and reduce unnecessary duplication.

The contrast between Nigeria's international connectivity success and its domestic distribution challenges isn't a story of failure—it's a story of sequential achievement. Nigeria has already solved one of the hardest problems: connecting to the world. Now, with proven models, committed regulators, and innovative industry partners, the nation is positioned to tackle the next phase of its digital transformation.

The infrastructure is landing on Nigerian shores. The capacity is available. The regulatory environment is evolving. And most importantly, stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society are increasingly aligned on the goal of making affordable broadband a reality for every Nigerian community. That's not just progress—it's the foundation for lasting digital inclusion and economic growth.