Recent damage to undersea internet cables serving African countries has sparked concerns over the continent’s network vulnerabilities, marking the third widespread disruption this year.

Cuts to the EASSy and Seacom cables caused varying levels of internet disruption in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar.

Efforts to restore connectivity are underway, with operators seeking alternative capacity from other undersea cable partners.

The outage in Tanzania was severe enough to prompt the closure of the US embassy to the public for two days, Semafor has reported.

Repairing the damaged cables may take days to weeks, depending on weather conditions and the extent of the damage.

Despite criticisms, the increase in submarine cables in Africa has expanded internet access, but integrating them into critical infrastructure and ensuring regional interoperability are crucial for long-term resilience.

Past disruptions, such as those in Nigeria and Mauritania, underscore the importance of diversifying connections and investing in new cable projects to mitigate future outages.

Written by B.C. Begley