The International Telecommunications Union has urged for worldwide cooperation to tackle interruptions in submarine cables that jeopardize the swift growth of the digital economy.
During her remarks at the ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit held in Abuja on Wednesday, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin pointed out that the digital economy is advancing more quickly than the increase in global GDP and is estimated to reach $16.5 trillion by the year 2028.
“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,” Bogdan-Martin said.
“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,” she added.
The summit, hosted by Nigeria for the first time, brought together over 300 delegates from 194 ITU-member countries, including Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Aminu Wada Maida.
Bogdan-Martin stated that underwater cables account for 95% of global digital infrastructure, making them crucial to supporting economic growth.
However, she warned that cable outages are a real hazard, with 200 occurrences reported each year.
“As our economies and digital inventions expand, and as we strive to provide meaningful connectivity to all, so will our reliance on digital infrastructure such as underwater cables.”
“This global undersea network is emblematic of the innovation and the investment required to connect the world meaningfully,” she stated.
Despite their resilience, repairing these undersea cables is complex and slow, often leading to widespread economic consequences.
“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,” Bogdan-Martin explained.
The co-chair of the ITU Advisory Board, Prof. Sandra Maximiano, underscored the urgency of addressing submarine cable vulnerabilities, particularly in West Africa, which suffered multiple cable cuts in March last year.
“This incident highlighted the critical importance of subsea cable businesses in this region, with some estimates indicating that over 70 million customers were affected,” Maximiano said.
She noted that while Nigeria benefits from multiple submarine cable connections, some West African countries rely on a single cable, increasing their vulnerability.
In his speech, Nigeria’s Communications Minister, Bosun Tijani, welcomed the ITU representatives and emphasized Nigeria’s dedication to enhancing its digital systems under President Bola Tinubu.
“This issue goes beyond a technical or specific sector challenge. It is a worldwide necessity that impacts finance, commerce, education, healthcare, and even how we govern,” Tijani stated.
“We are taking decisive steps as a nation to recognize and protect the government’s infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, aligning with our broader efforts to enhance digital resilience across all sectors.”
Tijani further stated that Nigeria is aggressively trying to increase broadband penetration and digital accessibility, ensuring that connectivity acts as a driver for economic transformation.
“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,” according to his remarks.
