Optic Fiber: Togolese government adopts decree to redefine conditions for laying submarine cables nationwide
Friday, 17 February 2023 08:09 
(Togo First) - Togolese ministers adopted on February 15 a decree that sets the conditions for laying the submarine fiber optic cable across the country. The decree was adopted during the council of ministers and it also covers the processes for securing necessary authorizations and certificates for laying the cables or building landing stations.
Concretely, the decree aims to draw a regulatory framework that will enable the government to boost Togo’s economic activities, through the digitalization of services and the implementation of the Equiano Project, Google’s new submarine cable.
In Togo, the project is divided into two phases. First comes the construction of the cable. This is followed by its management and the resale of the international capacity to ISPs, in Togo and neighboring countries.
The government claimed that the decree’s implementation will, “among others, help preserve and protect the sea environment, and ensure that the activity (ed. note: laying the cable) is done in line with the country’s security standards and maritime sovereignty.”
Besides, it should also, according to the authorities, facilitate the concretization of most projects falling under the government’s 2020-2025 roadmap, and foster the development of communication networks.
Ayewoudan Akodah, the spokesman of the government, revealed that a landing station for the Equiano cable is being built in the country at the moment. The project, the official noted, aligns with the dynamic of regulating the cable’s deployment.
It should be emphasized that Togo is the first African country to receive Google’s Equiano cable.
Esaïe Edoh
