Seacom 2.0, a cutting-edge underwater cable system poised to revolutionise connection throughout the continent, has put Africa on the cusp of a digital revolution.
With 48 fibre pairs and a more than 2,000 terabits per second design capacity, Seacom 2.0 will have the most capacity ever seen in the region when it is unveiled in September 2025 at Submarine Networks World in Singapore.
This system is expected to significantly enhance the digital infrastructure that connects the Indian Ocean Basin to Europe and the Middle East, particularly by boosting the growth of cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa.
Next-Gen cable powers Africa’s digital growth
An era of innovation in fintech, cloud computing, and tech ecosystems throughout Africa was initiated by the original Seacom cable, which was inaugurated in 2009.
This cable reduced internet costs by 300%. Seacom 2.0 maintains and enhances this legacy in anticipation of the AI era. The cable landing stations will transform into AI communication nodes that connect sovereign African AI infrastructure to global data centres, and the design is advanced with 48 fibre pairs optimised for low-latency AI workloads.
Seacom’s CEO, Alpheus Mangale, said, “This project isn’t just about connecting people; it is about ensuring Africa and its neighbours control their digital destinies.”
Seacom 2.0 underpins a digital environment where 10 billion AI agents are expected to operate by 2030, perfectly positioning Africa for the next wave of digital services.
Resilience and sovereignty at the core
Recent disruptions have highlighted vulnerabilities in submarine cables, so Seacom 2.0 has been designed for robustness.
It includes diversified routes that run closer to African shores and carrier-neutral landing points to reduce single points of failure.
This guarantees more reliable connectivity and strengthens Africa’s digital sovereignty by turning coastal countries from passive cable endpoints into active custodians of global data traffic.
This design ensures uninterrupted service and reinforces regional collaboration, making Seacom 2.0 a bold infrastructural step for Africa’s role in the global digital exchange.
Seacom 2.0 is a transformative infrastructure project that exceeds the scope of a cable expansion.
It guarantees that African nations can capitalise on the digital era on their own terms, support AI-driven economies, and establish a global leadership in connectivity.