The latest member of Google’s alphabetically ascending sequence of cables is named after Olaudah Equiano, a well-known African writer and abolitionist who was sold into slavery but was able to buy back his freedom. He was born in Nigeria, which was expected to be the first country to get an extension from the new subsea cable.
However, Nigeria is not Equiano’s first touchpoint; Togo just claimed that title. A French-speaking West African nation with a population of a little over 8 million, Togo is somewhat an unexpected destination—mainly because it is often regarded as an outlier market, thanks to its small-size economy and low tech appetite.
Considering these, this landing in Lome might lend a hand in turning the tide for the nation.