from ALFRED SHILONGO in Windhoek, Namibia
Namibia Bureau
WINDHOEK, (CAJ News) – Regional and international digital connectivity along Southern Africa’s west coast has received a major boost following a milestone agreement between Angola Telecom and Telecom Namibia.
The national telecommunications operators of the two countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Commercial Terms Agreement (CTA), which also strengthens digital cooperation between them.
Signed in Swakopmund on Thursday, the collaboration is set to enhance cross-border connectivity by leveraging infrastructure such as the Equiano subsea cable and Angola’s planned Southern African Regional Submarine System (SARSSy), improving network resilience and unlocking new opportunities across key sectors.
Angola Telecom is to access international capacity via Telecom Namibia’s Equiano subsea cable landing.
Stanley Shanapinda, Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Namibia, said the signing marked the culmination of extensive engagement and negotiation, resulting in a balanced framework that supports long-term regional connectivity.
“By leveraging the Equiano Subsea Cable and working in partnership with Angola Telecom, we are strengthening network resilience, expanding international bandwidth, and positioning Namibia as a key digital transit hub for the region,” he said.
Adilson Miguel dos Santos, Angola Telecom CEO, believes the partnership supports the company’s strategic investment in the SARSSy cable.
It is a next-generation fibre optic system designed to boost Angola’s infrastructure sovereignty, redundancy and international reach.
Dos Santos spoke of the importance of regional interconnection, adding that the collaboration with Telecom Namibia would enable them to extend the reach and resilience of Angola’s international connectivity.
“By integrating SARSSy with Equiano through Swakopmund, we are strengthening Angola’s position within the regional digital ecosystem and ensuring scalable, reliable capacity for the future,” he explained.
Hosting multiple international subsea cable systems, Swakopmund supports critical industries, including mining, logistics, port operations, fishing, tourism and energy sectors increasingly dependent on high-speed broadband.
Emma Theofelus, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of Namibia, and Mário Augusto da Silva Oliveira, Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communication of Angola, were among the dignitaries at the signing.
– CAJ News