Kenya has unveiled its broadband mapping plan under the Africa Broadband Mapping Systems initiative, a KES2.3 billion (€15 million) program backed by the International Telecommunication Union and the European Union.

The initiative is meant to expand internet access and reduce the digital divide across Africa and spans 11 Sub-Saharan African countries including Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. 

The support also includes extending the subsea blue cable from Djibouti to Tanzania, and improving connectivity across the region. 

Plan aims at harmonizing broadband mapping systems across the region because the project is designed to inform policymaking, bridge connectivity gaps, and spur strategic investments in digital infrastructure.

“The EU private sector is mobilising 300 million euros (KES45.28 billion) in this initiative. In Kenya, the EU is connecting 1,000 primary schools with broadband,” said EU Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger during the project launch on Monday.

Communications Authority of Kenya Director-General David Mugonyi pointed out the need to prudently improve internet access, noting that only 47.5 percent of Kenyan households are online, with rural areas falling to just 26 percent.

“The ability to link broadband mapping to socio-economic planning will allow us to prioritise connectivity for economic zones, health facilities, agricultural hubs, and community centres, directly improving education, healthcare, commerce, and governance outcomes,” noted Mugonyi.

According to the Director-General, 164 sub-locations remain without 3G or 4G connectivity. He added that the Africa-BB-Maps system would provide the precision needed to tackle the digital divide and ensure universal connectivity.

“There is a need to eliminate this digital divide,” Mugonyi said, adding that CA is collaborating with other government bodies to create a digital superhighway linking schools, health facilities, and other public institutions to high-speed internet.

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke noted that broadband connectivity is a game changer, describing it as “no longer a luxury but a fundamental catalyst for socio-economic development, innovation, and prosperity.”

“By developing harmonized, validated, and publicly accessible broadband maps, we shall be able to make informed decisions that optimize infrastructure investments and policy interventions,” said Stephen Isaboke, Principal Secretary, Broadcasting and Telecommunications.

The launch is a milestone as it marks the operational start of Kenya’s participation in the Africa-BB-Maps project. It will bring the government, private sector and development partners together, to advance digital access and inclusion.

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