The Lake Tanganyika Submarine Fiber Cable Project, led by BCS Group, has been completed, marking a major milestone in Africa’s digital infrastructure.

Per media reports, the Lake Tanganyika Submarine Fiber Cable Project, led by BCS Group, has been completed, marking a major milestone in Africa’s digital infrastructure. Spanning 400 km and reaching depths of 800 to 1,300 meters, this installation was described as the deepest inland undersea fiber optic cable globally. The project—developed in partnership with major telecom operators, including Airtel—aims to connect Northern and Southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and potentially expand to Tanzania and Burundi.

The BCS Group noted that it has previously had successful submarine installations in Lake Albert (2018-2019) and the Congo River (2022), reinforcing its expertise in challenging underwater fiber deployments. BCS Group currently is operating under licenses in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Angola.

A BCS Group spokesman told WJI that the cable had been supplied by Hengtong, and that it was “95% single armored and 5% double armored cable.” At its website, Hengtong notes that it is the largest optical fiber and power cable manufacturer in China, and one of the world’s top three optical fiber communication enterprises. Also, that it accounts for approximately 25% of the Chinese market share and 15% of the international market share.