The West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) has raised concerns over growing vulnerabilities in West Africa’s digital infrastructure, warning that recurring submarine cable disruptions and weak resilience frameworks could threaten the region’s fast-expanding digital economy, now estimated at over $100 billion.
The warning was issued by Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, executive secretary of WATRA, during the International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit 2026 held in Porto, where stakeholders gathered to address the rising need for stronger infrastructure protection across global connectivity systems.
Aboki stressed that resilience must no longer be treated as a purely technical issue but as a central economic priority, particularly as West Africa becomes increasingly reliant on fintech, broadband connectivity, e-commerce, and a growing base of digital entrepreneurs.
His remarks follow the widespread undersea cable disruptions recorded in 2024, which saw internet traffic in parts of the region drop by more than 50 percent. The incident, he noted, exposed the fragility of critical infrastructure that underpins much of the region’s digital growth.
“West Africa’s digital economy is growing rapidly, powered by mobile broadband, fintech, e-commerce, and a new generation of entrepreneurs. But much of that growth depends on infrastructure that remains invisible until it fails,” Aboki said.
WATRA highlighted the high cost and operational challenges associated with repairing submarine cable faults in the region. Unlike more developed markets, West Africa has limited access to specialised repair vessels, forcing operators to mobilise ships from distant locations such as Cape Town.
According to the Assembly, the regional body representing telecommunications regulators in West Africa, the cost of a single submarine cable repair typically ranges between $1.5 million and $2 million, with logistics making up a substantial share of the expense. In more complex scenarios involving multiple cable faults, total repair costs can rise to as much as $8 million, while restoration timelines in the region frequently lag behind global benchmarks.
Aboki warned that delays in mobilising repair infrastructure not only prolong downtime but also amplify economic losses across multiple sectors.
“When specialised vessels must travel long distances before repair work can begin, downtime becomes longer and more expensive. That delay has real economic consequences,” he said.
Beyond infrastructure concerns, WATRA emphasised that digital resilience is directly tied to economic stability and livelihoods across the region. Reliable connectivity, the Assembly noted, supports millions of daily transactions, from small-scale merchants processing mobile payments to startups running online businesses.
Aboki illustrated the real-world implications, noting that uninterrupted internet access enables entrepreneurs to sustain operations, process orders, and maintain customer engagement, even under pressure. At a broader level, financial institutions, logistics firms, and telecom operators all depend on stable connectivity to deliver services and support regional trade.
When disruptions occur, the impact is immediate, ranging from failed transactions and delayed trade to revenue losses, declining consumer confidence, and reduced productivity.
WATRA said the 2024 outage should serve as a critical wake-up call for governments, regulators, investors, and infrastructure providers across West Africa, urging a more proactive approach to safeguarding digital systems.
The Assembly called for resilience to be embedded across all layers of infrastructure planning, including the development of redundant network systems, improved emergency response mechanisms, stronger regional cooperation, and sustainable financing models.
“For West Africa, resilience is not optional. It is foundational. Without it, economic growth remains exposed to avoidable shocks,” Aboki stated.
He further noted that, unlike mature digital markets with built-in redundancies and institutional safeguards, many economies in West Africa operate with limited buffers, leaving businesses particularly small and informal enterprises, highly exposed to even short periods of connectivity disruption.
WATRA added that strengthening digital resilience will be critical to unlocking the next phase of West Africa’s economic transformation, ensuring that connectivity continues to drive inclusion, innovation, and trade across the sub-region.
