Massive internet outages in many African countries due to faulty cables

Published on: 03/14/2024 – 8:34 pm

2 minutes

According to NetBlock, a global internet monitoring organization, Ivory Coast is the hardest hit by the cuts, even if the situation improves.

The two largest operators, Orange and MTN, were the most affected, which explains the significance of the cuts across the country. The third operator, Move, was the only one to function normally.

Other countries have also been hit hard by these internet cuts: Guinea, Benin and Ghana.

In Togo, the situation is better, as the president of the Togolese branch of the Internet Society, Emmanuel Alolo Agbanonwosi, points out: “ Togo was no more affected than most countries. We saw further disruptions in countries such as Gambia, Ivory Coast, Benin and Liberia, where their impact was very strong. And you should know that Togo is also connected to several cables and not necessarily the same cables as other countries. »

Breaks on multiple submarine cables

As to the origin of these interruptions, some operators cite power failure. Submarine cables

. ” We still don’t have a clear explanation of what happened, but most of the operators of these cables have confirmed these disruptions without giving any real reason. », referring to Emmanuel Alolo Agbenanwosi.

South African operator MTN has provided an initial explanation for the cuts. They will be linked to breaks on multiple submarine cables, which will affect connectivity services in many African countries. MTN also clarified that “ performance » In progress order ” Redirect traffic through alternate network paths “

For the moment, there has been no official reaction from officials in the countries most affected by the cuts.

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