By Juliet Umeh

Layer3 Cloud said it has delivered the core network infrastructure powering the AfricaConnect3 project, a major regional initiative aimed at strengthening digital research and education connectivity across West and Central Africa.

The project, implemented by the West and Central African Research and Education Network, WACREN, and funded by the European Union, is designed to establish a high-capacity digital backbone linking universities, research institutions and innovation hubs across the region.

In a statement, the company described AfricaConnect3 as one of Africa’s most ambitious digital infrastructure initiatives focused on advancing research collaboration, academic connectivity and innovation.

According to the company, the project comes at a time when global competitiveness increasingly depends on access to resilient, high-speed digital infrastructure capable of supporting advanced research, cloud applications and cross-border collaboration.

Following a competitive international tender, Layer3 was selected to supply and deploy core networking and support infrastructure across data centres in 10 African countries and France.

The deployment is expected to scale WACREN’s backbone network capacity to 400GbE, significantly improving data exchange, research collaboration and digital communication among participating institutions.

“The AfricaConnect3 project represents a critical investment in the future of digital research and education across West and Central Africa. Reliable infrastructure is no longer optional for institutions seeking to compete globally,” the company stated.

The infrastructure rollout includes Juniper MX Series and Juniper EX Series networking equipment, alongside out-of-band terminal servers equipped with 4G LTE functionality aimed at improving operational resilience across the network.

Layer3 also deployed measurement and cache servers to optimise traffic management and improve network performance monitoring, while routing engines in Lagos, Accra and London were upgraded to support future expansion and rising data demand.

As part of the implementation, the company established a Network Operations Centre in Accra equipped with enterprise-grade power systems and high-performance servers to support uninterrupted operations across the regional network.

Industry analysts say the expanded infrastructure could significantly improve collaboration among National Research and Education Networks, many of which have struggled for years with poor bandwidth, unstable connectivity and fragmented digital systems.

“With stronger regional connectivity, African universities and research institutions will be better positioned to participate in global knowledge exchange, scientific collaboration and emerging technology ecosystems,” the statement added.

Experts also believe the enhanced backbone infrastructure could accelerate innovation in fields such as Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology and cloud-based research applications, where reliable high-capacity networks are increasingly essential.

Layer3, a Nigerian cybersecurity and enterprise infrastructure provider, has spent nearly two decades building cloud, network and managed service solutions for enterprises, governments and multinational organisations across Africa.

Its operations span enterprise connectivity, systems integration, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and managed network services, areas regarded as essential to Africa’s digital transformation drive.

Beyond the AfricaConnect3 project, the company disclosed that it is investing further in Africa’s innovation ecosystem through a cloud credit programme offering up to 100,000 in cloud infrastructure support for startups and developers building digital products across the continent.

According to the company, the initiative is aimed at helping African startups scale faster by reducing infrastructure barriers and connecting innovators with investors and market opportunities.

“We believe Africa’s next wave of innovation will depend not only on ideas, but on the infrastructure available to support builders, researchers and enterprises across the continent,” Layer3 added.

Participants in the programme are also expected to secure exhibition opportunities at the upcoming Africa Technology Expo Lagos 2026, where startups will engage with enterprise leaders, investors and ecosystem stakeholders.

Analysts maintain that as Africa’s digital economy expands, the continent’s long-term competitiveness will depend heavily on the strength, reliability and scalability of the infrastructure supporting research, enterprise and digital services.

They added that projects such as AfricaConnect3 highlight the growing importance of regional infrastructure partnerships in driving Africa’s next phase of digital growth.