The Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Telecommunication Union -ITU have called for global collaboration to address the increasing disruptions and damages to submarine cables.
They warned that such incidents pose a threat to the growth and sustainability of the digital economy worldwide.
Speaking at the International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit, hosted by Nigeria in Abuja, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, called for global efforts to prioritise submarine cable resilience, describing the issue as a strategic imperative that affects multiple sectors.
Tijani said that Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria is committed to strengthening its digital infrastructure and advancing policies that support connectivity, innovation, and economic growth.
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of ITU, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, stressed the need for urgent measures to safeguard submarine cable networks, which form 95 per cent of global digital connectivity infrastructure. She projected that the sector would be worth $16.5tn by 2028, outpacing overall global GDP growth.