Although the re-routing project had reportedly been scheduled for March, the reason for the delay to late April remains unclear, with CCL offering no explanation in its latest communication.
Monrovia – The Cable Consortium of Liberia (CCL) has announced a week-long disruption to internet services from April 23 to 28, 2025, sparking a wave of public concern and speculation due to the timing—coinciding with the highly anticipated Nimba County by-election.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
In a public statement recently, the CCL said the disruption is necessary to carry out critical repairs on Liberia’s undersea fiber optic cable system. According to the consortium, a repair vessel from the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable project is expected to arrive in Liberia on April 22, with engineers scheduled to begin the repair works the following day.
“During the period of the repair, as indicated in our earlier communication, there may be intermittent outages of internet connectivity for between 10 to 15 hours a day,” the statement read. The CCL also acknowledged the support of Orange Liberia in contributing to the ongoing cable re-routing works.
Timing Raises Eyebrows
Although the re-routing project had reportedly been scheduled for March, the reason for the delay to late April remains unclear, with CCL offering no explanation in its latest communication. The absence of details regarding the shift has fueled skepticism, especially as the new schedule overlaps with the heated Nimba County by-election.
Critics are questioning the timing, suggesting the possibility of politically motivated interference.
“Why now?” questioned Emmanuel Johnson, a Liberian activist, in a Facebook post. “The government had all year. Why schedule this during a critical election?”
Another user commented, “Hope this planned rerouting is not a scheme. The internet belongs to the people, and any manipulation for political advantage must be condemned.”
Concerns over PHP Park and Cable Access
The controversy over internet access adds to ongoing public discontent surrounding the PHP Park saga. Earlier this month, the government came under fire for plans to dig up part of the newly-inaugurated PHP Park—constructed under the Weah administration—to reroute the country’s only fiber optic cable, which runs directly beneath the park.
Inaugurated in December 2023, PHP Park was praised as a symbol of progress, featuring modern sports facilities and recreational spaces. However, it has now become a flashpoint in Liberia’s infrastructure debate after it was revealed that the park’s monument was built on the cable’s original landing point, obstructing access to a key node of national connectivity.
Henry Benson, CEO of CCL, blamed the contractor of the park project for ignoring warnings from the consortium. “We did write a letter; we pushed, but our resistance to this whole infrastructure was ignored, unfortunately,” Benson told reporters during a recent site visit.
Government Urges Calm, Promises Mitigation
Meanwhile, government officials and internet service providers are working to reassure the public. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), LIBTELCO, and CCL have all pledged to minimize disruptions during the rerouting process. Both Orange Liberia and Lonestar Cell MTN are reportedly prepared to provide backup services to cushion the impact.
“This is a necessary step to preserve national connectivity,” a government source told FrontPage Africa. “We understand the timing is sensitive, but it’s not politically motivated. All efforts are being made to ensure minimal disruption, especially for key activities like the Nimba by-election.”
Still, the incident has reignited debate over the state of Liberia’s digital infrastructure and the need for better coordination between development and technology projects.
As the by-election approaches, the question remains: will the public accept the official narrative, or will this spark further mistrust in a nation still struggling to balance progress with transparency?
