A section of Niger Telecoms' fibre optic cable connecting the cities of Niamey and Dosso has been damaged, attributed to the heavy rains currently being experienced in the country, as well as the floods that have followed. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Niger State Command, has warned contractors, construction companies, and excavation operators to desist from damaging fibre-optic cables, describing such acts as threats to Nigeria's digital economy and national security. Several countries in West Africa have been grappling with large-scale internet outages since last Thursday, following damage to several undersea fibre-optic cables. Even small forms of damage—from a bent cable to a rodent bite—can disrupt signals, cause costly outages, and require expensive repairs. Internet blackout Since July 2009, Niger and its neighbouring countries such as Benin, Togo and Nigeria have suffered an internet blackout owing to damage to the undersea SAT -3 cable, which links Europe to South Africa via several West African countries, giving them access to high-speed internet.
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