Burkina Faso is turning to Nigeria for its access to international connectivity
August 18th 2026
As Africa accelerates its digital transformation, access to reliable connectivity is becoming a major issue. For a landlocked country like Burkina Faso, the challenge lies in reducing digital isolation by strengthening the infrastructure that connects it to the rest of the world.
Burkinabe authorities want to leverage Nigeria to strengthen the country’s access to international connectivity. Presented in a report published on Sunday, August 16, the initiative aims to diversify access routes to submarine cables in order to meet the growing demand for high-speed connectivity services.
This is one of the areas of enhanced cooperation discussed with Nigeria in the digital sector. The issue was raised during last week’s visit by a Nigerian delegation led by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani. Discussions also covered artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
“ Nigeria currently has a vast connectivity project that will allow it to interconnect with its neighbours. Through this interconnection via Niger and Benin, Burkina Faso can also join this project and benefit from the advantages of such connectivity,” explained Burkina Faso’s Minister of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications, Aminata Zerbo/Sabane. She also highlighted the particular interest of this country for Ouagadougou due to the number of submarine cables that land on its territory.
Accelerate digital inclusion
Through this partnership, Burkina Faso aims to accelerate its digital integration. Lacking access to the sea, the country cannot connect directly to the submarine cables that carry the international capacity necessary for its internet connection. It must therefore rely on its coastal neighbours, particularly Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo.
Nigeria would thus strengthen and diversify these access routes, providing increased capacity and greater resilience for Burkina Faso’s international connections. According to the Submarine Cable Map platform, the West African country is currently served by eight submarine cables, which connect it directly to major international networks.
Mapping of submarine cables in West Africa
This diversification will also reduce Burkina Faso’s dependence on certain land corridors and strengthen the continuity of its internet access in the event of disruption on one of the existing routes.
Potential impacts on the cost and access to the Internet
The Burkinabe authorities also hope that this collaboration will allow them to ” acquire Internet capacity at a competitive price and be able to impact the final prices for users “.
Recent studies confirm the impact that increased international capacity can have on connectivity costs. In a report published in June 2025, the Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development (FERDI) indicates that doubling international capacity could lead to an immediate decrease of approximately 32% in the price of fixed broadband and up to 50% for mobile broadband.
The World Bank corroborates this trend. In a study published in July 2024, the Bretton Woods institution estimates that each doubling of submarine cable capacity in Africa leads on average to a 7% decrease in the price of fixed broadband internet and a 13% decrease for mobile broadband.
Reducing connectivity costs can therefore help improve access to digital services.
In Africa, the price of internet services is considered one of the main obstacles to wider adoption and use. According to data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 5 GB of mobile internet in Burkina Faso was projected to cost 8.8% of gross national income (GNI) per capita in 2025. This figure rises to 31.4% for fixed internet. The affordability threshold is set at 2% of GNI per capita.
In addition to cost, greater international capacity allows for improved speeds and the quality of services offered to subscribers. This is all the more important given that African users regularly complain about the quality of telecom services, while their connectivity needs continue to grow, particularly with the rise of digital solutions, streaming, cloud computing, and online professional use.
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