Liberia: LTA Announces Emergency Measures to Safeguard Internet Connectivity
In a decisive move to protect national connectivity to the internet, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has announced emergency measures to mitigate expected internet disruptions resulting from rerouting work on the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) Submarine Cable, scheduled from April 23 to April 30, 2025.
In an official notice issued Tuesday, the regulatory body confirmed that technical repairs are necessary on the ACE Cable–a major international data transmission route serving Liberia and other West African nations. The work is expected to cause interruptions in internet services relying on the cable for international connectivity.
However, the Cable Consortium of Liberia (CCL), in partnership with the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), is working to redirect the country’s undersea internet cable around PHP Park in Monrovia to address recurring connectivity issues.
CCL Chairperson Henry Benson revealed that the cable was damaged beneath a monument in the park, despite prior warnings against construction over the infrastructure to the previous administration
To prevent demolishing the park, a global internet provider’s team is currently in the country to begin the redirection process, which will cost an estimated $200,000 and may cause temporary internet disruptions.
Recognizing the critical role of the internet in communication, education, healthcare, commerce, and national security, the LTA has moved swiftly to ensure alternative access is available. The Authority has authorized two major service providers–Orange Liberia and CSquared–to establish cross-border fiber-optic links with telecom operators in Côte d’Ivoire.
“This intervention is vital to maintain uninterrupted connectivity for Liberia during the maintenance period,” the LTA stated in the release. “To that end, we have declared these cross-border fiber connections as Essential Facilities under national telecommunications policy.”
The declaration of “Essential Facilities” means that Orange Liberia and CSquared are now required by regulation to provide access to these international fiber routes to other licensed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country. The access must be granted on fair, transparent, and reasonable commercial terms.
The move is intended to prevent monopolistic access and ensure equitable distribution of connectivity resources during what could otherwise be a critical service outage for many users.
“All service providers are strongly encouraged to engage Orange Liberia and CSquared immediately to secure access to the new international routes,” the LTA advised. “Our goal is to ensure that end-users–businesses, schools, hospitals, and ordinary citizens–experience little to no disruption in their internet usage.”
This is not the first time Liberia has faced ACE Cable issues, but the LTA’s response this time marks a more proactive and structured approach to maintaining national connectivity resilience. Telecommunications analysts have praised the Authority’s emphasis on multi-operator access and transparency.
Industry experts believe the move also demonstrates a growing maturity in Liberia’s telecom regulatory framework. By facilitating cross-border internet backups, the LTA is signaling a shift towards a redundant and resilient infrastructure model, reducing Liberia’s long-term reliance on a single submarine cable system.
“This is a necessary step for a digital economy,” said an Gbollie, ICT consultant in Monrovia. “Every modern country needs fail-safes. The LTA is showing leadership by ensuring internet services remain stable despite technical setbacks.”
The week-long maintenance window is expected to start on Wednesday, April 23, and conclude by Tuesday, April 30, 2025. The LTA has assured the public that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and coordinate with all providers to ensure effective mitigation throughout the period.
By Liberian Observer.
