Meta has pushed back against reports of a renewed setback to its massive 2Africa subsea cable project, saying most of the network has now been completed even as security concerns continue to slow work on some segments.

The company’s update comes a day after fresh reports suggested the project had suffered another delay over regional security issues.

Meta did not deny that certain sections remain outstanding but emphasised that the bulk of the system, designed to dramatically expand internet capacity across Africa, Europe and the Middle East is already in place.

“2Africa is the first cable to connect East and West Africa in a continuous system and link Africa to the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. With a current reach of 33 countries and still counting, we’re enabling connectivity for 3 billion people across Africa, Europe, and Asia – more than 30% of the world’s population. This scale is unprecedented and we are proud to have partnered with stakeholders across the ecosystem to deliver new levels of connectivity at such scale,” Meta said.

Originally announced in 2021, Meta’s 2Africa project is designed to expand high-speed internet links across Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Spanning 45,000 kilometres of subsea cable, the system is intended to boost connectivity in key markets, including Africa, India, and the Middle East.