FEATURE
ENTRÉE INTO WEST AFRICA
MainOne Invests in Cote D’Ivoire Landing as an Opening into Francophone West Africa BY FUNKE OPEKE THE OBVIOUS GAPS
Most African countries have internet penetration of less than 10% (well below the 20% threshold critical for countries to reap the economic benefits of broadband investment. While submarine cables have had a dramatic impact on access to bandwidth, impact across all countries in the region is not consistent. But encouraging developments are emerging. MainOne has also secured a license to extend its submarine cable to Cote D’Ivoire and enable it further democratize the international bandwidth market in Cote D’Ivoire and neighbouring countries to support wholesale customers, Internet
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SUBMARINE TELECOMS MAGAZINE
Service Providers, Telcos and indigenous businesses. Efforts are also underway to extend access to landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger and Mali through existing fiber infrastructure and other backbone networks planned by operators in the various countries.
CONNECTING THE UEMOA COUNTRIES: A CASE FOR COTE D’IVOIRE
According to a GSMA Intelligence report, Cote D’Ivoire has significantly improved on its mobile broadband penetration, from less than 3% to 26% within ten years. This internet leap has enabled the country’s digital transformation and made positive impact on economic development,