Internet exchange operator DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom) have signed a letter of intent to explore a new South Atlantic data corridor linking Lisbon in Portugal with São Paulo in Brazil, passing through Cape Verde, TechAfrica News reported.
The plan
- CVTelecom would provide transport capacity between Lisbon and São Paulo.
- In return, DE-CIX would give CVTelecom access to its internet exchanges in Frankfurt, Madrid, Marseille, New York and São Paulo.
- Networks in Southern Europe, West Africa and Latin America could exchange traffic more directly, instead of routing it through hubs in Northern Europe and North America.
The agreement is non-binding. Its scope, technical details and commercial terms still have to be set out in a final contract.
Why it matters for West Africa
Much of West Africa’s internet traffic still travels to Europe before reaching its destination, even when the destination is nearby. That adds delay and makes the region vulnerable when a few cables fail, as Nigerians saw during the West African cable cuts of 2024 that slowed banking apps and internet access for days. More routes and more places to exchange traffic mean faster connections and fewer single points of failure.
Cape Verde sits between Europe, West Africa and the Americas, and is trying to position itself as a digital gateway for the region. DE-CIX already operates exchanges in several African markets.
Source: TechAfrica News.
