AFR-IX, a key player in African infrastructure and telecom operations, has officially secured substantial funding from the European Commission for the development of the Medusa Africa subsea cable, marking a significant advancement for telecommunications across the continent.
Announced on March 11, 2025, the company detailed in its statement, "AFR-IX has secured European Commission funding through the CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) Programme by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) to support the expansion of the Medusa Submarine Cable System to West Africa." This funding is part of broader efforts to improve digital connectivity and infrastructure across the region.
The ambitious 8,700km Medusa cable is expected to feature 17 landing points across various countries including Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia, with its official launch anticipated for early 2026. Notably, the design of the cable includes a branching unit directed toward the Democratic Republic of Congo, enhancing connectivity for landlocked nations.
Currently, marine surveys are taking place to facilitate the deployment of this advanced 24-fiber pair submarine cable, with the European Commission committing approximately €14.3 million ($15.6m) to support this initiative. This financial backing reflects the EC's investment in bridging the digital divide and strengthening infrastructure within Africa.
AFR-IX's role is pivotal, as the company serves as the infrastructure provider for this landmark cable, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The Medusa cable has already established links to existing networks, as seen with the 2Africa and WACS cables, both of which have landing sites at Muanda.
Orange Tunisie was named the landing partner and owner for the Tunisia branch of the Medusa cable last year. The cable will land at the Tunisie Orange's cable landing station located in Bizerte. Complementing this, Orange will also offer the necessary landing infrastructure for the cable’s entry point in Morocco.
For Egypt, Medusa will land at Port Said through collaboration with Telecom Egypt, connecting via the terrestrial network to several Red Sea landing stations, including Suez, Zafarana, and Ras Ghareb. This positions Egypt as a significant hub for marine cable traffic.
Meanwhile, Libya’s state-owned LUIC will handle the cable landing operations at both Tripoli and Benghazi, enabling digital connectivity efforts at key locations across the Libyan territory.
The Medusa Africa project is part of 21 initiatives selected during the third round of funding from the CEF Digital program, which has allocated approximately €420 million under its first Work Programme dedicated to enhancing digital infrastructure. AFR-IX is also benefitting from additional funding, having received €3.7 million ($4m) for the ATMED Malta project, which aims to integrate Malta more closely with the Medusa cable system.
Further under the CEF program, the company is spearheading the development of the ATMED Nador-DG and ATMED East-DG cable projects, both of which are anticipated to improve access to high-speed internet across regions closely tied to the Mediterranean Sea.
The CEF Digital program has been instrumental not only for the Medusa cable project but has also provided funding for other pivotal telecommunications endeavors such as the Pisces subsea cable and the CanaLink cable, which aim to bolster transcontinental connectivity.
With the official commencement of the Medusa Africa subsea cable project, the potential for significant economic and social advancements within African nations is palpable. This strategy is poised to combat the digital divide, fostering enhanced access to technology and information for millions across diverse locales.
Through initiatives like these, AFR-IX is not merely constructing cables but laying down the foundation for the continent's digital future—a thoroughfare for data and services to flow freely, efficiently, and more connectedly, impacting lives from Algeria to Tunisia and beyond.
