Conakry, 6th May – On Wednesday, at the Hôtel Riviera Royal in Conakry, the Republic of Guinea and MEDUSA Submarine Cable System officially signed the Construction and Maintenance Agreement (C&MA), marking a key milestone for the landing of the MEDUSA AFRICA submarine cable in Conakry. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Amadou Oury BAH, Prime Minister and Head of Government, in the presence of the Minister of Communication, Digital Economy and Innovation, Mr. Mourana SOUMAH, members of the Government, as well as representatives of MEDUSA Submarine Cable System and key stakeholders of Guinea’s digital ecosystem.
This landmark agreement was formalized by Mr. Ahmed Karifa DIAWARA, Chief Executive Officer of GUILAB SA, and Mr. Damien BERTRAND, Chief Operating Officer of MEDUSA Submarine Cable System. It immediately triggers the launch of marine surveys and the operational preparation for the cable landing in Conakry. As the landing party, GUILAB SA will oversee the management, operation and maintenance of the infrastructure on Guinean territory for a period of 25 years, ensuring the long-term sustainability of this strategic investment for Guinea.
For the Republic of Guinea, this signing represents a concrete and decisive step forward: a second submarine cable, after ACE cable, that diversifies international connectivity routes, reduces dependence on a single infrastructure, and creates the conditions for a more stable and more efficient Internet for citizens, businesses and institutions.
The MEDUSA system, backed by the AFR-IX Telecom group, interconnects Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and West Africa through the Mediterranean. It will deliver high-capacity -transmission, enhanced network redundancy, and lower latency, supporting the rapidly growing demand for digital services in Guinea and across the sub-region.
This signing is part of the implementation of the Simandou 2040 vision championed by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mamadi DOUMBOUYA, who has made the strengthening of critical digital infrastructure a national priority. Through this commitment, Guinea asserts its ambition to establish itself as a strategic digital hub in West Africa and sends a strong signal of credibility to all its economic and financial partners.
“By equipping Guinea with a second submarine cable, we are making a strategic choice. We choose to secure our connectivity, strengthen our resilience, and above all, create the conditions for the rise of our digital economy “, declared Mr. Mourana SOUMAH, Minister of Communication, Digital Economy and Innovation
“With the Medusa Submarine Cable System continuing to expand, we are bringing enhanced intercontinental connectivity deeper into West Africa. This extension strengthens the link between the Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors, helping to address growing capacity demands while improving network diversity and resilience. Our agreement with GUILAB marks an important milestone in delivering high-capacity, reliable international connectivity to Guinea”, added Mr Bertrand, COO of Medusa.
This agreement forms part of the Data Gateway between Europe and Africa – MEDUSA AFRICA project, co-financed by the European Commission through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme and implemented by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA).
The project lays the foundation for a dedicated subsystem to enhance connectivity between Europe and Africa within the broader Medusa Submarine Cable System. It includes the deployment of a Branching Unit in the Atlantic facing Africa, as well as marine surveys from this point towards the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the objective of enabling the future deployment of a 24 fiber pair submarine cable. The project also encompasses marine surveys of additional branches connecting countries along the route towards the DRC.
