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The cable aims to link Africa and Europe.

This week Google announced that the first branch of its Equiano underwater internet cable has landed in Lomé, Togo. The cable will eventually run from Cape Town, South Africa to Lisbon, Portugal. The massive fiber optic cable will be Google’s first to run from Africa to Europe. The company claims it will bring internet connectivity to millions of people across both continents.

This will be especially impactful in Togo, where according to DataReportal an estimated 74 percent of people don’t have access to the internet. The cable should deliver 20 times more internet capacity to the region, according to Google.

“People around the world use Google products every day to stay in touch with friends and family, find directions, connect with new customers or bring products to new markets,” the company said. “As 300 million people come online in Africa over the next five years, the Equiano cable is part of our ongoing commitment to Africa.”

TIP: Also read ‘A submarine cable connecting Asia and Europe is under construction‘.

The Google cable will drive Togo’s economic development

With Togo’s strong commitment to boosting the digital economy, the arrival of Equiano is a key step in the country’s continued digital development, Google claimed. Equiano is expected to result in faster internet speeds, improved user experience, and lower internet prices in Togo. This is according to a recent economic impact assessment conducted by Africa Practice and Genesis Analytics, they explained.

“Internet speeds in the country are expected to more than double from 10 Mbps in 2021 to 21 Mbps in 2025,” Google added. Accordingly, retail internet prices are forecast to decline by 14% over the same period.

Also according to the economic assessment, improved speeds and lower prices are expected to boost internet penetration. Between 2022 and 2025, Equiano should indirectly create 37,000 new jobs in Togo driven by the growth of the digital economy and peripheral sectors.