Cameroon’s state-owned telecom operator, Camtel, currently runs four submarine cables—SAT3/WASC, WACS, SAIL, and NCSCS—but uses just 16% of their total capacity, according to the Supreme Court’s Accounts Chamber. This underutilization is largely driven by low local demand, high transit costs, and limited domestic content consumption.
Despite this inefficiency, the potential remains immense. Full utilization could bring Camtel CFA 13.6 billion (USD 24.2 million) annually, reinforcing its role in the Central African connectivity hub strategy.
Maximizing Cable Utilization: The Bigger Picture
Camtel’s network includes WACS, which links West Africa to Europe; SAT3/WASC, part of a major transcontinental corridor; SAIL, connecting Cameroon to Brazil; and NCSCS, which offers intra-African links. These cables position Cameroon as a critical bridge between Africa, Europe, and South America, but the economic benefits remain largely untapped.
Boosting utilization means aggressively marketing excess capacity to internet service providers (ISPs), over-the-top (OTT) players, and hyperscalers. Partnerships with regional operators could attract data center investments, create new interconnection points, and foster cross-border internet growth.
Implications for Africa’s Connectivity Ecosystem
Currently, Africa’s international bandwidth demand is accelerating, driven by cloud services, fintech, and streaming. If Camtel scales up its utilization strategy, Cameroon could become a regional hub, reducing latency, cutting costs, and stimulating digital inclusion across Central Africa.
Improved efficiency would also strengthen Africa’s resilience by balancing traffic away from congested landing points in Nigeria and South Africa, creating alternative routes for redundancy, a key factor in ensuring network stability for enterprises and governments.
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Strategic Moves for Camtel
- Leverage public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance marketing and infrastructure expansion.
- Offer competitive transit pricing to attract smaller ISPs and content providers.
- Develop regional internet exchange points (IXPs) and data centers to keep African traffic within the continent, reducing dependency on European exchange points.
Conclusion
With four cables serving as strategic corridors, Camtel holds the key to unlocking digital opportunities beyond Cameroon. At just 16% utilization, the gap is a challenge but also a catalyst for regional transformation. Maximizing this capacity could generate millions in revenue, improve Africa’s digital sovereignty, and accelerate economic growth.
