Zambia and Mozambique have officially launched a cross border fibre optic interconnector that links Zambia’s national backbone to Mozambique’s coastal infrastructure, marking a significant step in Southern Africa’s digital integration drive.
The project was unveiled at the Chanida–Cassacatiza One Stop Border Post in a ceremony attended by government officials and telecommunications executives from both countries. The initiative is a collaboration between Bayobab Zambia and Vodacom Mozambique, in partnership with the Zambian Ministry of Technology and Science and Mozambique’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation.
The new connection links Zambia’s terrestrial fibre network to Mozambique’s submarine cable infrastructure, providing the landlocked country with direct access to global internet gateways. Central to the project is integration with the 2Africa submarine cable, a 45,000 kilometre system regarded as the longest subsea cable network ever deployed, interconnecting Africa with Europe and Asia.
Officials described the interconnector as a milestone that strengthens redundancy, enhances internet reliability and improves cross border data exchange. By diversifying routes for international traffic, Zambia reduces reliance on a limited number of transit corridors, thereby improving network resilience and lowering the risk of outages.
Simon Karikari, Managing Director of Vodacom Mozambique, said the development enhances cross border resilience and reinforces a backbone that supports both national and regional digital ambitions. He described the timing as critical for Mozambique, noting that the country is undergoing an accelerated phase of digital transformation backed by government reforms.
Karikari added that the project sends a strong signal to investors and development partners that both countries are committed to building the infrastructure required for sustainable growth. He emphasized that the interconnection reflects deeper economic cooperation and shared digital priorities between the two neighbours.
For Zambia, the fibre link further consolidates its position as one of Africa’s most interconnected countries. With the Mozambique link in place, Zambia now has fibre optic connectivity with eight neighbouring states, including Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Plans are also underway to extend connections toward Burundi in East Africa.
Lilian Mutwalo, Managing Director of Bayobab Zambia, said the interconnector positions Zambia not only as a consumer of connectivity but increasingly as a digital transit hub for the region. She highlighted that resilient, interconnected infrastructure is essential to unlocking Africa’s digital potential and ensuring that data flows seamlessly across borders.
Bayobab is a subsidiary of MTN Group, one of Africa’s largest telecom operators. The company has been expanding its pan African fibre footprint as part of broader efforts to strengthen intra African connectivity and reduce dependence on external routing paths.
The interconnector is expected to support growth in sectors such as financial services, e commerce, cloud computing, government digital services and cross border trade facilitation. Improved connectivity can also lower wholesale bandwidth costs, potentially translating into more affordable internet services for businesses and consumers.
As digital economies expand across the continent, infrastructure projects such as the Zambia–Mozambique fibre link are increasingly viewed as strategic assets. Reliable, high capacity networks underpin everything from mobile banking to artificial intelligence applications and data centre development.
By linking inland fibre networks to major submarine cables, countries like Zambia aim to transform geographic constraints into strategic advantages. The launch underscores a broader regional trend toward collaborative infrastructure development, as African nations seek to build integrated digital corridors capable of supporting long term economic transformation.
Mozambique launches new graphite processing plant
