Meta collaborates with Safaricom to enhance Kenya's internet reliability through a novel subsea cable project

The Daraja subsea cable project, valued at $23 million, is underway in Kenya, with the support of Safaricom and Meta. This ambitious project aims to provide faster and more reliable internet connectivity for the region, addressing issues of outages with older systems like SEACOM or EASSy.

Safaricom's role in the Daraja project extends beyond telecom operations, positioning it as a builder of Kenya's digital infrastructure. Meta's involvement in the project is through its infrastructure arm, Edge Network Services. The Daraja cable will run from Mombasa to Oman, carrying 24 fibre pairs, a significant increase from the usual 8 to 16.

The responsible party for the implementation of the Daraja cable project has not been identified in the provided search results. However, it is clear that both Safaricom and Meta are committed to this project's success.

The Daraja cable is expected to be completed in 2026. Its timing aligns with the growing investment in Africa's east coast subsea cables. Africa's east coast is experiencing increased subsea investment, with the PEACE cable already live and Africa-1 scheduled for 2025.

Meta is also one of the largest investors in the 2Africa subsea cable project, a 45,000 km cable set to go live in 2025. The 2Africa cable will circle the continent, span 33 countries, and have a capacity of 180 Tbps.

Meta's involvement in the Daraja project is aimed at increasing internet usage on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, but the benefits extend to Kenya's digital growth and innovation. The Daraja cable, upon completion, could potentially contribute to economic growth in the region.

Projects like Daraja and 2Africa could potentially add up to $37 billion to Africa's GDP over the coming years. The Daraja cable, if successful, could potentially benefit landlocked countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.

The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has cleared the Daraja project, ensuring it adheres to international standards and protects the coastline. Faster internet, as provided by these projects, is not just about smoother video calls or quicker downloads, but also contributes to economic growth.

The Daraja cable and the 2Africa cable are significant steps towards bridging the digital divide in Africa. These projects underscore the commitment of Safaricom, Meta, and other stakeholders to improving internet connectivity in the region, fostering digital growth, and driving economic development.

Meta collaborates with Safaricom to enhance Kenya's internet reliability through a novel subsea cable project