Kenya to expand digital infrastructure in region

Kenya is among countries in the East Africa region that is engaged in discussions to establish interlinked digital infrastructure to spur growth in the region.

The countries, which include Tanzania, South Sudan, and Somalia, are currently working on strategies to bridge the gap in digital divide.

According to Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of Kenya’s ICT Authority, the primary aim of this collaboration is to bolster regional connectivity and drive economic growth.

Kenya, in particular, intends to extend its digital infrastructure to its neighbouring countries, especially those lacking undersea cables, as stated by Kamanguya.

“We have recently initiated discussions to share the existing infrastructure in Kenya to collaborate with nations that do not have undersea cables reaching their shores.

We believe this approach will be beneficial across all African countries, facilitating intra-country connectivity and supporting continental agendas,” he explained.

This initiative forms part of a broader endeavour to enhance intra-country connectivity by addressing policy, infrastructure, and investment gaps, thereby fostering economic development and digital transformation.

It aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the forthcoming Connected Africa Summit 2024, scheduled to take place in Nairobi next month.

Mobile connectivity

Kamanguya highlighted Kenya’s substantial progress in mobile connectivity, with 70 to 80 million devices owned by a population of 55 million.

However, he underscored the necessity for enhancements in Ethernet penetration and broadband access.

“This indicates significant access through mobile services. Nevertheless, when assessing Ethernet penetration and broadband connectivity, approximately half of our country is categorized as unserved or underserved, with even lower rates in other countries, ranging from 18 to 20 per cent Internet penetration. Thus, there remains a considerable digital divide to address,” he remarked.

Kenya boasts connectivity through six submarine cables, including SEACOM, TEAMS, EASSy, LION2, DARE1, and PEACE1, which are integral components of the global internet infrastructure and data transmission.

Kamanguya further noted that 37 out of 38 African countries are linked to the global network through one or more submarine fibre optic cables. However, despite this connectivity, significant infrastructure gaps persist, hindering access in these nations.

Currently, only about 36 per cent of Africa’s population has internet access, with 473 million active users. Among them, 278 million individuals primarily utilise mobile phones for internet access, underscoring the continued imperative to bridge the digital divide across the continent.