The company wouldn't directly comment on the hoped-for data pipe, but did say it "look[s] all over the world" when planning underwater cable routes. The WSJ cautioned that a deal wasn't guaranteed and might fall apart.

Facebook is no stranger to giant data cable projects, but they tend to focus on links between continents. This would focus on improving access within a single continent, and might be vital if Facebook wants to continue adding users now that over 2.3 billion people are already signed up. Internet service as a whole can be unreliable in Africa due to a developing infrastructure that doesn't always offer fast, consistent links to the rest of the world. This would ensure that all of Facebook's services (particularly ones popular in the area, like WhatsApp) are within reach and perform as well as you'd expect.