The Africa-1 submarine cable is expected to be fully operational by early 2026.
Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has announced the landing of the Africa-1 submarine cable in the Kingdom. This achievement significantly enhances global and regional connectivity, positioning Saudi Arabia as a strategic hub for international data exchange.
The Africa-1 submarine cable stretches over 10,000 km and boasts a capacity of 96 terabits per second. Designed for diversity and resiliency, the cable will increase broadband traffic across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. By integrating this high-capacity cable into its network, Mobily aims to strengthen both regional and international connectivity while unlocking new business opportunities in emerging markets.
Eng. Salman Al-Badran, CEO of Mobily, said: “The successful landing of the ‘Africa-1’ submarine cable in Saudi Arabia will contribute to increasing broadband capacities in the Kingdom and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, positioning the Kingdom as a globally recognised digital hub. It will also strengthen its leadership in the region’s digital economy by establishing an integrated digital infrastructure that makes it a global hub for data exchange.”
He added: “This milestone underscores our commitment to delivering innovative digital solutions that meet the evolving needs of our partners and customers nationally and internationally. The cable’s high-speed data capabilities are critical for powering 5G networks, artificial intelligence systems, and other bandwidth-intensive applications. It also strengthens data transmission for IoT devices and cloud services, driving the acceleration of digital transformation.”
The Africa-1 project, backed by a consortium of eight key partners including Mobily, is set to become fully operational by early 2026.
