Djoliba is based on a terrestrial fiber optic network coupled with undersea cables
In an effort to address growing connectivity needs in West Africa, Orange and its subsidiaries have announced the commercial launch of Djoliba, a fiber backbone consisting of more than 10,000 km of terrestrial fiber coupled with 10,000 km of undersea cables, in the region. The first of its kind in the area, the fiber backbone connects the capitals of Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal.
For improved efficiency and responsiveness, Djoliba is operated via a dedicated supervision center located in Dakar, Senegal. Together, the terrestrial fiber and undersea cables allow broadband provision at up to 100 Gbps and a 99.99% availability rate, according to Orange.
The network, which is based on Orange’s Tier 1 network, covers sixteen points of presence with a grid of nearly 155 technical sites, and connects 300 points of presence in Europe, America and Asia. It also connects to Orange Group’s international network.
Djoliba marks the first pan-West African network and will simplify the process of providing services across country borders, Orange said. Previously, telecommunications networks in the area were built independently within each country and then ended once they hit a border. As a result, operators had to bring together services from different providers using infrastructure that interconnected at a national border.
“This new network is a true innovation that simplifies the interconnection processes between countries,” the company claimed in a press release.
“With Djoliba, local populations will be able to access healthcare or educational services more easily, as well as the applications offered by cloud computing,” said Alioune Ndiaye, CEO Orange Middle East and Africa in a statement.
Ndiaye also referenced Orange’s larger Africa strategy, stating, “Orange is actively contributing to the development of undersea and terrestrial infrastructure which enable the African continent’s digital transformation, by investing 1 billion euros each year.”
Currently, Orange operates in 18 African countries, and has more than 120 million customers. Further, last year, under the Engage2025 strategy, Orange identified the Middle East and Africa as a key growth driver for the company as part of its five-year plan.
