Africa Telecom Transmission Network Map 2024

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Press play or drag the slider bar to show operational fibre optic network in each year from 2009 - 2022.

WIOCC

This map shows the reach of WIOCC's regional fibre optic network, which reached 75,000-km during 2024. WIOCC's regional network comprises the national transmission backbones of its shareholders in ten African countries, and networks leased from partner operators in other countries. WIOCC's network previously reached 65,000-km in 2021, and 55,000-km five years previously in 2019.

Route Kilometres of WIOCC's transmission network, Africa 2019 - 2024

WIOCC terrestrial fibre network

Terrestrial Transmission Network

Route Kilometres of terrestrial transmission network, Africa 2014 - 2024

Africa’s total inventory of terrestrial fibre optic transmission networks passed the milestone of 1 million route-kms during 2018. By June 2024 the amount of operational fibre optic network reached 1,337,158-km, compared to 1,025,441-km in 2019 and 564,091-km in 2014. In the twelve months since June 2023, an additional 58,132-km of fibre optic network has entered service, an average of 159-km of new fibre optic network entering service per day. In addition, there was in June 2024 a further 112,376-km of fibre optic network under construction, 124,416-km planned, and 66,717-km proposed.

Approximately a quarter of the total fibre inventory in Sub-Saharan Africa is within cities: of the inventory of 1,337,158-km of operational terrestrial fibre in June 2024, at least 324,730-km was metropolitan fibre rings and FTTH/B (fibre-to-the-home/ building) networks. These metro rings distribute bandwidth from fibre optic nodes to districts and suburbs around each city. The FTTH/B networks provide the last mile access, delivering fibre bandwidth right to the door.

Fibre Reach

Fibre Reach, Africa 2014 - 2024. Population within reach of operational fibre optic network (million)

The landing of new submarine cables and expansion of terrestrial transmission networks is bringing additional countries, regions, cities and towns within reach of fibre networks for the first time. In the last year alone, network expansion has brought more than 24 million more people within access to high capacity national and international backbone networks, and in the last ten years more than 323 million.

In June 2024, 62.6% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa (733 million) was within a 25-km range of an operational fibre optic network node. This compared to 60.5% (709 million) in 2023, 57.1% (669 million) in 2022, 56.7% (647 million) in 2021, 55.9% (620 million) in 2020, 55.2% (584 million) in 2019, 54.2% (556 million) in 2018, 55.2% (522 million) in 2017, 48.1% (469 million) in 2016, 45.8% (436 million) in 2015, and 44.0% (410 million) in 2014.

Once the fibre network which is currently under construction enters service, the fibre reach of Sub-Saharan Africa will increase to 68.1% (798 million).

International Internet Bandwidth

International Internet bandwidth (Gbps), Africa 2013 - 2023

Africa’s total inbound international Internet bandwidth reached 49.6 Tbps by December 2023. This compared to 36.9 Tbps in 2022, 26.4 Tbps in 2021, 21.0 Tbps in 2020, and 16.1 Tbps in 2019. This total of 49.6 Tbps in 2023 was split between Sub-Saharan Africa, which increased by 43% to reach 34.4 Tbps, and North Africa which increased by 18% to reach 15.2 Tbps.

Almost two-thirds of all this bandwidth to sub-Saharan Africa is supplied to its three largest markets. South Africa’s inbound international Internet bandwidth was 9.950 Tbps in 2023, Kenya was reported at 8.042 Tbps, and Nigeria had an estimated 3.295 Tbps.

Of the total bandwidth of 34.373 Tbps in Sub-Saharan Africa by December 2023, 31.321 Tbps (91.1%) was supplied directly by submarine cable. This total of 31.321 Tbps compared to 8.884 Tbps in December 2019.

There is plenty of room for future growth: this figure of 31.321 Tbps is still a fraction of the total design capacity of at least 1 Pbps that is potentially now available on the 35 submarine cables serving the region in December 2023.

The completion of new cross-border links, and the expansion of capacity on others, has seen the volume of intra-regional traffic backhauled to submarine cable landing points increase by 45% in the last year to reach 3.033 Tbps in December 2023. This compares to 2.086 Tbps in 2022, 1.472 Tbps in 2021, 1.135 Tbps in 2020, and 745 Gbps in 2019.

Legal Notice and Copyright

Copyright Notice: All rights reserved. Copyright © Africa Bandwidth Maps, 2024. No part of these works may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied or otherwise, without the written permission of Hamilton Research Ltd. Cartography: Paul Hamilton. Acknowledgements: Africa Analysis, African ISP Association (AfrISPA), Balancing Act, ECCAS, ECOWAS, Liquid Telecom, West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC),World Bank. Some data for North African countries adapted from World Bank 2014: Gelvanovska Natalija, Michel Rogy and Carlo Maria Rossotto. 2014. Broadband Networks in the Middle East and North Africa, Accelerating High-Speed Internet Access. Directions in Development. Washington, DC: World Bank. Doi: 10.1596/978-1-4648-0112-9. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0.

Whilst all reasonable endeavours have been made to ensure that the information contained in this map is as accurate and up-to-date as possible, this publication is provided "as is" and the publisher does not make any warranty of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness and non-infringement. In no event will the publisher be liable for any damages whatsoever, and cannot accept any liability whatsoever for errors or omissions.