Major internet disruptions have been reported across several countries in Africa, affecting users in South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso on Thursday.

While services have mostly been restored in Liberia and South Africa, the cause of the cable failures remains unclear, leaving millions of customers frustrated.

“There appears to be a pattern in the timing of these disruptions, affecting regions from north to south across Africa,” noted Cloudflare Radar, which monitors internet connectivity.

According to a retired expert speaking to the BBC, undersea cables can occasionally be damaged by debris or other factors.