Benghazi – The city of Benghazi on Saturday evening hosted the inauguration of Ozone Group for Telecommunications and Information Technology. The ceremony was attended by Libyan Prime Minister Dr. Osama Hamad; Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, General Khaled Haftar; Director General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, Engineer Belqasem Haftar; and Director of the Commander-in-Chief’s Office, General Ayoub Youssef. Also present were several ambassadors, diplomatic representatives, international guests, business leaders, and members of the media.
The launch marked the start of the company’s operations and outlined the O3 Group’s plans to develop Libya’s digital infrastructure and break market monopolies. The group aims to connect Benghazi to international telecommunications networks and establish the city as a digital gateway linking Libya to the rest of the world. Ozone Group intends to offer real choices and competition for consumers, upgrade telecommunications and digital solutions, and train national professionals.
During the ceremony, officials announced the arrival of the Medusa undersea cable in Benghazi. The cable is designed to link Libya to the international network across the Mediterranean Sea.
O3 Group indicated its plans include building a 16,000-kilometer fiber-optic network and establishing a Tier III data center. The company aims to launch a pilot 5G network by the end of 2026 and begin commercial operation in the second quarter of 2027.
Faisal Gergab, Chairman of the Ozone Group, told the Libyan News Agency that inaugurating the international gateway in Benghazi and the arrival of the Medusa cable mark Libya’s transformation into a regional digital hub and corridor.
Gergab said the project’s goal is economic empowerment by implementing a next-generation 5G network in two phases—the pilot by the end of this year and commercial operations by mid-2027.
He added that the project seeks to connect with neighboring landlocked countries, including Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic. The aim is to expand internet access, support development, boost the national economy, and help curb irregular migration.
Gergab noted that the initiative opens the door to international agreements and diversifies Libya’s economy beyond oil. It will also create opportunities for the private sector and young people.
He highlighted that the group’s services, including Ozone Pay and Ozone Cloud for cloud computing and data centers, are supported by major private banks in Libya. The goal is to develop digital banking, improve infrastructure, and enhance the quality and reliability of digital applications in the country.
Benghazi’s municipal council chairman, Engineer Saqr Boujuwari, said the undersea cable is an achievement that will strengthen communications in the city. He added that the cable will connect Europe, North Africa, Mediterranean nations, sub-Saharan Africa, Chad, and Niger and Mali.
Boujuwari praised the efforts of business leaders, national figures, and the country’s military, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, in contributing to the project’s success and reinforcing Benghazi’s status as an economic capital.
Hossam al-Din al-Taib, head of the Arab Union for Digital Empowerment, stressed the importance of cooperation between the union and institutions working on digital transformation. He said such collaboration is vital for keeping pace with technological advances in Libya.
Al-Taib explained that digital empowerment is a key goal for his organization, which recently launched new initiatives. He pointed to upcoming cooperation with the union, represented by Dr. Fawzi al-Ghweil, as a way to expand its operations.
He added the institution would help drive progress in telecommunications, cloud services, cybersecurity, and enable the new generation with digital tools to match rapid technological changes.
Al-Taib noted the union is looking to organize meetings with Libyan institutions to explore partnerships and develop initiatives supporting digital empowerment in the country.