Kenya’s Daraja Cable: Bridging the Digital Gap
In a bold move toward digital sovereignty, Kenya is laying the foundation for more resilient internet connectivity, and its name says it all. Daraja, Swahili for “bridge,” is Safaricom’s first fully owned subsea cable, underwritten with strategic backing from Meta’s infrastructure arm, Edge Network Services.
Why Daraja Matters
This $23 million, 4,108 km undersea cable will link Mombasa to Oman, carrying 24 fibre pairs, significantly more than the standard 8–16 found in most existing systems. That means faster speeds, greater capacity, and more reliable access across East Africa. The cable is slated to go live in 2026.
Kenya’s internet traffic is vulnerable to outages when older cables like SEACOM and EASSy are damaged. Daraja offers a locally owned solution that boosts national resilience and reduces reliance on external bandwidth providers.
Meta isn’t stopping there. Through Edge Network Services, the tech giant is expanding its footprint in Africa’s digital backbone. Alongside investment in Daraja, Meta is a major partner in the 2Africa cable, one of the largest subsea systems globally, expected to go live in late 2025. Meta research suggests improved connectivity like this could add up to $37 billion to Africa’s GDP in coming years.
Daraja is part of a growing trend on Africa’s east coast. The PEACE cable, connecting Kenya with Pakistan and Europe, became operational in 2022; the upcoming Africa-1 system will link East Africa to France and the Middle East by 2025.
What It Means for Kenya
- 1. Startups & digital services gain more reliable bandwidth for growth.
2. Students, healthcare, and e-commerce platforms thrive with consistent internet access.
3. Underserved communities benefit from expanded and dependable connectivity.
Daraja isn’t just another cable. It’s a powerful symbol of Kenya’s drive for digital independence and infrastructure leadership. With local control and global partnerships, the nation is ensuring its internet backbone is robust, redundant, and ready for the future.
