Business a.m
The 2Africa undersea cable project by Facebook’s parent company, Meta, is set to make landfall in Nigeria in February.
Anthony Blinken, US secretary of state, made the announcement in Lagos during the opening of the new American Corner in Lekki, Lagos.
In his address, Blinken highlighted the 2Africa cable project as one of the ways in which American companies are supporting the Nigerian government’s goal of creating one million digital jobs. He noted that the 45,000 km cable, touted as the largest in the world, would play a crucial role in enhancing Nigeria’s connectivity and broadband capabilities.
The deep-sea cable, which will encircle the continent when complete, is set to land in two key locations in Nigeria: Lagos, the commercial hub, and Akwa Ibom, a port city in the south-south region of the country.
Blinken noted that the growing presence of American companies in Nigeria demonstrates the strength of the relationship between the two countries. He highlighted how these companies are helping to meet President Bola Tinubu’s goal of creating one million digital jobs.
“The world’s largest subsea cable is on its way. It will reach Lagos next month. And as I’ve looked at the numbers, more than a quarter of American venture capital coming to Africa is coming to Nigeria,” he said.
While highlighting the potential of the Nigerian economy, Blinken also acknowledged the challenges that still need to be addressed. He also disclosed that he discussed the need to improve the business environment to attract more investments in a meeting with the Nigerian president.
According to Blinken, the establishment of American Corners in Nigeria would help to foster stronger partnerships between the two countries. He emphasised the importance of the tech sector, and how these centres will help to fuel innovation and the digital revolution.
Dwelling further on the benefits of the American Corner, he said, “This place, this American Corner in Lekki, will, I believe, reinforce that incredibly vibrant relationship between our countries and between our peoples. Nigeria has more American Spaces than any other African country, 24 locations in 21 cities, 4,400 programmes reaching 100,000 Nigerians every year, and now number 25.
“Here, courses on everything from learning how to code to how to write a business plan will be offered. Video recording, podcast studios, access to robotics equipment, and 3D printing will also be on offer. This understanding of innovation and understanding that innovation is amplified by the connection that you all represent, is central to so much of what we’re doing. We have something we recently established with all of the countries bordering on the Atlantic, the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, three dozen coastal Atlantic countries, including the United States, including Nigeria, working together to promote a stable, sustainable, prosperous Atlantic region.”
In addition to the American Corners, Blinken announced that the US mission in Nigeria was partnering with the US Congress to launch the Nigerian Marine and Blue Economy hackathon. He explained that this initiative will bring together government officials, private sector players, and students to develop solutions to economic and environmental challenges facing the country.
He noted further that one of the main goals of the hackathon is to harness the power of technology to address issues like plastic pollution in the ocean and harnessing ocean currents to generate energy.
