Pakistan to Get $60 Million World’s Biggest Undersea Cable in 2026

The Africa-1 submarine cable project will be fully operational in 2026, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) informed the main bourse on Friday. This initiative aims to provide connectivity between the UAE, Europe, and Africa, along with multiple landing stations, the company said in a stock filing. In November 2020, the Board of Directors approved an investment of US$ 59.5 million for the Africa-1 submarine cable project. PTCL said it began investing in the project annually as part of its CAPEX starting in 2021. Till 2025, approximately 75 percent of the total investment has been completed over four years, with the expectation that the full or maximum project cost will be reached within the year. The project is expected to achieve its Ready for Service (RFS) in Q1 2026. Once the RFS is completed, the Africa-1 submarine cable will be fully operational, and the Company will begin generating revenue from the project, contributing positively to its top-line growth. The groundbreaking celebration for joining the high-capacity, Africa- 1 Submarine Cable is scheduled for February 22, 2025, making its landfall at Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) landing site at Sea View, Karachi marking a transformative step in enhancing Pakistan’s digital connectivity, PTCL added.