To prevent damage and disruptions to submarine communication cables, which are essential to the global digital economy, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is calling on the international community to work together and take collective action.
The International Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience fills an important gap.
Our role is to promote open conversation, build trust, and ensure submarine cable networks remain protected + resilient for the benefit of the global community ~S. Maximiano #SubcableSummit pic.twitter.com/4MCPtHN90N— Int’l Telecommunication Union (@ITU) February 26, 2025
The Secretary General of ITU, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, made the call during the opening ceremony of the ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience inaugural summit hosted by Nigeria in Abuja.
The summit is being attended by more than 300 delegates from the 194 ITU-member countries across the world.
She said that at the moment, the digital economy accounted for the greater parts of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and it is expected to peak at 16.5 trillion dollars by 2028.
Bogdan-Martin underscored the need for global attention and focus on measures that would sustain the spate of rapid development in the digital economy sector, with submarine cable connectivity accounting for 95 percent of its backbone.
“The past two decades have seen a vast digital shift, with new socio-economic opportunities as well as challenges. Since the 2005 World Summit on the increasing society, the number of internet users back then in 2005 stood at one billion.
“At the end of last year, we had 5.5 billion internet users. And today, the global digital economy is growing faster than global GDP and is expected to reach 16.5 trillion U.S. dollars by 2028.
“Over the next decade, some estimate that more than two-thirds of the new value creation could come from digitally enabled companies,” the ITU boss said.
She noted that “as our economies and digital innovations grow, and as we seek to bring meaningful connectivity to all, so does our reliance on digital infrastructure like submarine cables.
“This global undersea network is emblematic of the innovation and the investment required to connect the world meaningfully,” Bogdan-Martin said.
The Secretary General lamented that despite the resilience of submarine cables, about 200 disruptions are witnessed yearly, while fixing them across continents and countries is difficult and slow.
According Bogdan-Martin, the global economy always feel the impact of submarine cable cuts and disruptions, stressing that
“Submarine cables are put in place by an interplay of technology, business, and policy that has to be considered holistically.”
“That’s why this summit includes a diversity of stakeholders that are essential to this conversation,” the ITU boss added.
She commended Nigeria for hosting the event and called on the ITU Advisory Body, the academic community, and other stakeholders to work towards a lasting solution to the challenges of underwater cable cuts and disruptions across the globe.
The Co-chair of the Advisory Board for ITU, Prof. Sandra Maximiano, underscored the importance of the International Advisory Board for Submarine Cable Business and Economy at the Summit, saying that positive developments have been witnessed in the industry.
“It is no coincidence that we are meeting here in Abuja today, given that several cable cuts occurred in March last year affecting multiple countries in West Africa, including Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Senegal.
“This incident highlighted the critical importance of subsea cable businesses in this region, with some estimates indicating that over 70 million customers were affected.
“While Nigeria is served by several submarine cable systems, many of which also land in my home country, Portugal, including Maniwari, the Africa coast to Europe, Etihanu, and to Africa, other Western African countries are served by only by a single submarine cable,” Maximiano said.
The Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who welcomed the ITU delegates to Nigeria, urged participants to take advantage of the hospitality of Nigeria.
On the issues of submarine cables, Dr. Tijani said, “This is not just a technical or industry-specific challenge. It is a global imperative that affects the financial market, trade, education, health systems, and even governance.”
He said, “In Nigeria, the government is investing in digital infrastructure for global access, broadband expansion, and economic transformation.
“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.
“We are taking decisive steps as a nation to recognise and protect the government’s infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, aligning with our broader efforts to enhance digital resilience across all sectors.
“As a government, we are also deeply invested in leveraging digital property infrastructure, promoting global access, and expanding broadband penetration, ensuring that connectivity remains a catalyst for economic transformation and revolution.
“The outcomes of this summit will not only influence policy and investment decisions but also serve as the foundation for global cooperation and long-term resilience,” he added.
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