Several African countries are experiencing widespread internet disruptions due to issues with critical underwater cables. This has caused outages for internet service providers and impacted online activities in various regions.
Seacom, a South African internet provider, reported a service-affecting outage on the West African Cable System, a vital submarine network. This disruption has affected internet connectivity for many users.
In Nigeria, a major fiber optic cable cut in Ghana impacted MainOne, a key internet provider serving numerous Nigerian banks. This resulted in difficulties for customers trying to access online banking services and utilize USSD mobile banking options.
Reports from various sources confirm widespread Internet issues, including struggles with using banking apps and accessing the Internet smoothly. Sterling Bank, a Nigerian institution, even issued a communication acknowledging difficulties with some online banking activities. Lemfi, an African remittance service, also informed customers about experiencing downtime.
Efforts are underway to address the situation. Seacom is rerouting traffic through alternative paths to minimize congestion. MainOne has confirmed that a technical team is actively working on a solution.
However, the situation remains concerning. While alternative routes are currently operational, service towards Europe from locations like South Africa could be at risk if these fail.
The specific cause of the cable cuts is yet to be determined. News outlets in South Africa, like news24, reported that multiple subsea cable failures between the country and Europe are impacting various network providers. Additionally, outages have been reported in other submarine cables like AAE1 and EIG across Africa.
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