AFR-IX Telecom (Pty) Ltd invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the “Proposal”) from interested U.S. firms that are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to execute a feasibility study for the deployment of a submarine fiber optic cable (the “Project”) to enhance international connectivity in up to 22 countries along Africa’s Atlantic coast. The Proposal submission deadline is December 19, 2025 at 5 p.m. EST. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $1,520,778 grant to AFR-IX Telecom (Pty) Ltd from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
About the Grantee
While AFR-IX Telecom SA is the primary implementer of the Medusa Africa Cable, its Africa-based subsidiaries—integrated and pan-African in nature—will actively contribute to the cable’s design, construction, and deployment. Incorporated in South Africa, Afrix Telecom (Pty) Ltd is a telecommunications infrastructure company that specializes in submarine cable systems, internet exchange points, and data and connectivity services across Africa. Its parent company, Spain-based AFR-IX Telecom SA, is a major wholesale capacity provider with operations in North America, Europe, and Africa. Apart from South Africa, the parent company has Africa-based subsidiaries in Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Kenya, Cameroon, and the DRC.
Project Background
The Project is an extension of the 8,700-kilometer Medusa Submarine Cable System, which will link 11 Mediterranean countries when fully operational. The extension of this cable system is anticipated to serve 22 countries. To date, a cable route analysis aimed at identifying a preliminary route has been conducted. This route will be further refined and validated through a marine survey as well as the USTDA feasibility study.
About the Study
The objective of the Study is to develop the business case for the Medusa Africa Submarine Cable System by determining its financial, commercial, and technical viability. The study will include a technical approach and design evaluation; market, economic, and pricing analyses; a financial bankability and guarantees assessment; tax, legal, and regulatory assessments; a preliminary environmental and social impact assessment; corporate structure and governance recommendations; a development impact assessment; and a U.S. sources of supply analysis.