Telecom Egypt has announced the completion of the core infrastructure of the 2Africa submarine cable system, one of the world’s largest subsea connectivity projects and a major step toward strengthening Africa–Europe digital links. The milestone was confirmed in a company statement following coordinated work with members of the 2Africa consortium, including Bayobab, Center3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Vodafone Group and WIOCC.
Designed as a 45,000-kilometre system—longer than the Earth’s circumference—the 2Africa cable will directly connect more than 33 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. With landings at Ras Ghareb on the Red Sea and Port Said on the Mediterranean, the system links Egypt’s two coasts through dual, diverse terrestrial routes running parallel to the Suez Canal, supported by an additional marine festoon link passing through Zaafarana and Suez.
Using advanced SDM technology, the cable is engineered to deliver unprecedented capacity, including up to 180 terabits per second across the Mediterranean segment. Telecom Egypt said the system significantly enhances the resilience and reach of global networks as demand surges from cloud computing, AI applications and high-bandwidth digital services.
According to consortium estimates, the expanded capacity brought by 2Africa could contribute as much as $36.9 billion to Africa’s GDP within the first two to three years of full operation, helping spur job creation and supporting innovation ecosystems in multiple markets. Analysts say the impact will be particularly pronounced in countries where limited international bandwidth has constrained digital-economy growth.
Construction of the system took nearly six years and required coordination across more than 50 locations, using over 35 specialised vessels equipped to install fibre in diverse marine environments. The consortium noted that the publicly accessible, open-access design aims to widen competition among telecom operators and reduce costs for users across the continent.
Telecom Egypt said the project further consolidates the country’s position as a regional connectivity hub and a primary route for global data traffic between Africa, Asia and Europe. “The completion of the core infrastructure of the 2Africa cable marks a new milestone in our journey to reinforce Egypt’s role as a global data gateway,” said Tamer El Mahdy, Managing Director and CEO of Telecom Egypt.
As the remaining segments are integrated and the “Pearls” extension comes online, the 2Africa system is expected to become the backbone of international connectivity across Africa, supporting regional growth and expanding access to high-speed digital services for more than three billion people.
