Damage to undersea cables is disrupting internet access across Africa
The continent is wedged between two cable-hazard hotspots
ACROSS LARGE parts of Africa people have been staring at blank screens and cursing their computers of late. On March 14th Ghana’s stock exchange closed an hour later than usual, after internet problems disrupted trading. Connection issues forced a Nigerian cement company to cancel an earnings call. Data connectivity in Liberia and Benin fell below 20% of ordinary levels, according to NetBlocks, a digital-research firm. In Ivory Coast it plunged to 3%. Though some traffic has been restored, Wi-Fi remains dodgy in perhaps a dozen countries.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Africa unplugged”
Middle East & Africa March 23rd 2024
From the March 23rd 2024 edition
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