Glo-1

Overview

The Glo-1 submarine cable system, spanning approximately 9,800 kilometers, connects West Africa to Europe. Commissioned in 2010, it was developed and is owned by Globacom Limited, a Nigerian telecommunications company. The cable is notable for being the first submarine cable entirely owned by a private African operator, marking a significant milestone in the region's technological development. Glo-1 provides a direct link between Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana), and Bude (United Kingdom), facilitating high-speed international connectivity for West Africa.

Glo-1's construction was carried out by Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (ASN) at an estimated cost of $250 million. Initially designed with a capacity of 320 Gbps, the system has been upgraded over time to support up to 2.5 Tbps, ensuring its relevance in the face of growing data demands. Its ownership by a local operator underscores its importance as a symbol of digital sovereignty and self-reliance for West Africa, reducing dependence on external consortia for international connectivity.

Route and Landings

The Glo-1 cable connects three key landing points: Lagos in Nigeria, Accra in Ghana, and Bude in the United Kingdom. This route strategically links two major West African economic hubs with a prominent European cable landing station. Lagos, Nigeria's largest city and economic center, serves as the primary gateway for international connectivity in the country. Accra, the capital of Ghana, is a critical node for telecommunications in the region, benefiting from its proximity to other West African nations.

From Accra, the cable continues along the West African coastline before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to reach Bude in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Bude is a well-established hub for submarine cables, offering connections to various European networks. This direct link to Europe enables faster data transmission and improved latency for West African users, fostering economic growth and digital integration in the region. The route also provides an alternative to consortium-based systems, enhancing the resilience of regional connectivity.

Ownership and History

Glo-1 is owned and operated by Globacom Limited, a leading telecommunications provider in Nigeria. When it entered service in 2010, it became the first submarine cable system wholly owned by a private African company. This ownership model was a departure from the traditional consortium-based approach, where multiple stakeholders share control and capacity. By owning its own cable, Globacom gained greater control over pricing, capacity allocation, and maintenance, offering competitive services to its customers.

The cable's construction by Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks was completed at a cost of approximately $250 million. Since its launch, Glo-1 has undergone several upgrades to enhance its capacity and performance, ensuring it remains a vital component of West Africa's digital infrastructure. The cable's establishment marked a turning point for the region, providing a direct and locally controlled connection to Europe and strengthening its position in the global digital economy.

What Our Measurements Show

Our ongoing monitoring of Glo-1 reveals a robust and efficient system with 147 measured corridors. The best recorded round-trip time (RTT) is 45 milliseconds, while the average RTT stands at 130 milliseconds. These metrics highlight the cable's ability to support low-latency communication between West Africa and Europe, a critical factor for modern applications such as cloud computing, video conferencing, and online gaming.

The data also underscores the importance of Glo-1 in providing path diversity for West African traffic. By offering a direct route to Europe, the cable reduces the region's reliance on consortium-operated systems, which may have longer or less reliable paths. Additionally, the system's ability to scale its capacity from an initial 320 Gbps to 2.5 Tbps demonstrates its adaptability and the effectiveness of ongoing technological upgrades. This ensures that Glo-1 can meet the growing demands of users while maintaining high performance and reliability.