On 4 February 2026, Djibouti Telecom, Ethio Telecom and Sudatel signed a tripartite strategic agreement under the Horizon Fibre Initiative, formalizing the next phase of implementation for a new multi-terabit cross-border fibre corridor connecting Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. According to a company press release, the agreement enables the establishment of a high-capacity terrestrial fibre corridor connecting the Djibouti international submarine cable landing stations, through Ethiopia, and onward to Sudan’s landing stations, creating a resilient and scalable regional connectivity route linking East Africa and beyond. This strategic collaboration is designed to enhance international bandwidth capacity, improve network resilience and redundancy, and support the rapidly growing demand for data, cloud, digital services, and cross-border connectivity across the region. The Horizon initiative is the result of two years of deliberate, coordinated work toward a shared vision. The contract is... Read More →
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Africa: Ethio Telecom, Djibouti Telecom And Sudatel Sign Agreement For Implementation Of Horizon Fibre Initiative
Filed under: Fibre Long Haul Tags: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan
South Sudan: Bayobab Secures South Sudan Fibre Licence, Advancing Its East 2 West Project
On 25 November 2025, MTN Digital Infrastructure’s South Sudan subsidiary, Bayobab Infra Solutions Ltd, announced that it has secured a 15-year license from the National Communications Authority of South Sudan to construct, install, and operate electronic communications systems, effective 16 October 2025. This license empowers MTN Infra Solutions to deploy and manage national and cross-border fibre networks. It establishes terrestrial and satellite systems, provides national and international leased circuits, delivers IP transit services, and extends high-capacity fibre connectivity across South Sudan. According to a company press release, Bayobab says that the South Sudan license is a pivotal step in the expansion of Project East 2 West (E2W), which aims to create a resilient digital corridor connecting East and West Africa. Source: Bayobab Read More →
Niger: 1,031-Km Of Trans-Saharan Fibre Optic Backbone Routes Completed In Niger
On 19 November 2025, a ceremony was held in the capital city Niamey to mark the completion and provisional acceptance of 1,031-km of fibre optic network deployed under the Trans-Saharan Backbone (Dorsale Transsaharienne à fibre optique, DTS) initiative. According to an African Development Bank press release, this includes the completion of 1,031-km of fibre-optic sections along five key routes in the country: Arlit - Assamaka to the Algerian border; Diffa to N'Guigmi and the Chad border; Zinder to Magaria and the Nigerian border; Niamey to Dosso, Gaya and the Benin border; and Niamey to Makalondi and the Burkina Faso border. The project also includes the installation of a Tier III national data centre, and 88-km of metropolitan fibre to connect the main administrative sites to the future national data centre. The DTS project involves the completion of missing fibre optic links in Niger and Chad to complete a Trans-Saharan fibre optic backbone interconnecting Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Chad... Read More →
Niger: Niger’s International Bandwidth Increases By 68% During 2024
Niger’s international Internet bandwidth reached 199.8 Gbps by December 2024, according to the latest figures released by Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et de La Poste (ARCEP) in its 2024 annual report. This was split between five operators: Zamani Telecom (previously Orange, with 20 Gbps, compared to 15 Gbps in 2023), Airtel (Celtel) Niger (140 Gbps, compared to 70.15 Gbps), Atlantique Telecom (Moov Africa Niger, with 7 Gbps, compared to 5 Gbps), Niger Telecom (30 Gbps, compared to 25 Gbps), and Liptinfor (2.8 Gbps, compared to 4 Gbps). This total of 199.8 Gbps in 2024 was a 68% increase compared to 119.15 Gbps in 2023, 123.5 Gbps in 2022, and 71.904 Gbps in 2021 (see Niger: Niger’s International Bandwidth Increases By 72% During 2022). Source: ARCEP Read More →
Eswatini: Eswatini’s International Bandwidth Reaches 67.150 Gbps in 2024
The incoming international bandwidth of the fixed line incumbent operator Eswatini Post and Telecommunication Corporation (EPTC) reached 67.150 Gbps in 2024, according to latest statistics published by the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM). The outgoing international bandwidth was 48.564 Gbps. This incoming international bandwidth compared to 13.6 Gbps in March 2021, and 9.6 Gbps in March 2020 (see Eswatini: EPTC’s International Bandwidth Increases By 42% During 2021). Formerly known as Swazi Telecom (SPTC), the operator previously reported an international bandwidth of 6.340 Gbps in March 2019, 5.340 Gbps in March 2018, and 512 Mbps by 31 March 2012. Source: Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM). Read More →
Seychelles: 2Africa Submarine Cable Boosts Seychelles International Bandwidth To 150 Gbps During 2024
The inbound international Internet bandwidth of Seychelles reached 151.651 Gbps in December 2024 according to latest statistics released by the Seychelles Communications Regulatory Authority (SCRA). This was a 300% increase compared with 37.934 Gbps reported in December 2023, which in turn was a 102% increase compared to 18.781 Gbps in 2022 (see also Seychelles: Seychelles International Bandwidth Increases By 84% During 2022). Seychelles is now served by three submarine cables: SEAS which entered service in 2012 (see Seychelles: SEAS Submarine Cable Lands In Seychelles), PEACE which entered service in 2023 (see Seychelles: PEACE Cable Lands In Seychelles, Due To Enter Service In May 2022), and the 2Africa cable which was activated in Seychelles by Intelvision in March 2024. The total international bandwidth (upload and download) previously reported by Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), was 10.195 Gbps in 2021, 9.361 Gbps in 2020, and 8.526 Gbps in 2019. Source:... Read More →
Djibouti: Djibouti Telecom Announces Extension of DARE 1 Submarine Cable To Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa
Filed under: Fibre Long Haul, Submarine Cable Tags: Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
On 28 August 2025, Djibouti Telecom announced that it will extend the Djibouti Africa Regional Express DARE-1 submarine cable from Kenya to Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa. The extension will be between 3,200-km and 3,500-km in length, with cable landings planned in Mombasa (Kenya), Dar es Salaam and Mtwara (Tanzania), Nacala, Beira, and Maputo (Mozambique), Mahajanga and Toliary (Madagascar), and Mtunzini (South Africa). The project is due to start in 2026, according to a company press release, with an estimated ready for service in 2028. Djibouti Telecom says that the extension is conceived as a regional African cable, adding capacity and route diversity for carriers, enterprises and cloud providers from East to Southern Africa. It will improve resilience by adding alternative paths and landings, support the region’s digital economy with scalable international bandwidth, and complement existing systems to provide reliable, low-latency connectivity to global hubs. Previously,... Read More →
Kenya: Safaricom Plans Daraja Submarine Cable From Kenya To Oman
Kenya’s leading mobile operator Safaricom is reportedly planning to build a submarine cable called Daraja, which will run 4,108-km from Mombasa (Nyali) to Salalah in Oman. Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) has been awarded the contract to design, build and install the Daraja subsea cable, according to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) filed with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and the cable is expected to go live in 2026. Notably the 2Africa cable currently under implementation also has landings in both Mombasa and Salalah. Source: NEMA Read More →
Côte d’Ivoire: Côte d’Ivoire’s International Bandwidth Surpasses 1 Tbps, Increases By 68% During 2024
Filed under: Capacity, Fibre Long Haul Tags: Cote d'Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire’s utilised international Internet bandwidth surpassed the milestone of 1 Tbps and reached 1.616 Tbps in December 2024, according to latest statistics released by the regulator ARTCI (Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications de Côte d’Ivoire). This was a 68% increase compared to 963 Gbps reported in December 2023 (see Côte d’Ivoire: Côte d’Ivoire’s International Bandwidth Increases By 76% During 2023). This utilised capacity of 1.616 Tbps compared to 2.145 Tbps of installed international Internet bandwidth. These totals were split between Orange which had 672 Gbps of utilised international bandwidth (800 Gbps equipped), MTN which had 200 Gbps utilised (200 Gbps equipped), MainOne which had 585 Gbps utilised (900 Gbps equipped), and Moov Côte d’Ivoire had 158 Gbps utilized (246 Gbps equipped). Five submarine cables now land at Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire): SAT-3, ACE, WACS, MainOne, and Maroc Telecom West Africa cable. The MainOne Cable Company landed... Read More →
Kenya: Kenya’s International Bandwidth Doubles To Reach 16 Tbps During 2024, Driven By Uptake Of Starlink LEO Satellite Broadband Service
Filed under: Capacity, Fibre Long Haul, Satellite Tags: Kenya
Kenya’s utilized international Internet bandwidth reached 16,242.476 Gbps in December 2024, a 102% increase compared to 8,042.08 Gbps in December 2023 (see also Kenya: Kenya’s International Bandwidth Increases By 84% To Reach 8 Tbps During 2023). This total of 16,242.476 Gbps in December 2024 was split between 12,526.040 Gbps supplied by submarine cable (77%) according to latest statistics released by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), and approximately 3,716.436 Gbps supplied by satellite (23%). In its latest quarterly report, CA says that in addition to 12,526.040 Gbps of international bandwidth supplied by submarine cable that was used in Kenya, 2.953.82 Gbps was also sold to other countries. Since Starlink low earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband entered service in Kenya in July 2023, the number of subscribers increased from 4,808 by March, to 6,063 by June, 16,786 by September and 19,146 by December 2024. Out of a total customer base of 19,403 satellite broadband subscribers... Read More →
Zambia: Zambia’s International Bandwidth Doubles To Reach 370 Gbps During 2024
Zambia’s utilised international Internet bandwidth reached 370.3 Gbps by December 2024, according to latest figures published by ZICTA (Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority). This was a 109% increase compared to 177.1 Gbps in December 2023, with ZICTA also reporting 124.4 Gbps in 2022, 98.3 Gbps in 2021, 95.2 Gbps in 2020, and 80.4 Gbps in 2019 (see also Zambia: Zambia’s International Bandwidth Increases By 95% To Reach 345 Gbps By June 2024). The total equipped international capacity of wholesale carriers reached 1.111 Tbps by December 2024, compared to 976 Gbps in 2023, and 840.2 Gbps in 2022. “The transmission network market experienced significant growth in 2024,” said ZICTA in its 2024 annual market report. “The growing demand for transmission networks is largely attributed to increased broadband adoption, rising enterprise data needs, and expanding digital infrastructure initiative.” ZICTA also reported that the total fibre inventory of Zambia reached... Read More →
Kenya: Kenya And Tanzania Launch Cross-Border Terrestrial Fibre Link At Horohoro Border Crossing
In July 2025, Kenya and Tanzania officially launched the Dar-es-Salaam to Mombasa Terrestrial Fibre Link at the Lunga Lunga/ Horohoro border crossing between the two countries. This critical infrastructure links Kenya’s National Optic Fibre Backbone (NOFBI) to Tanzania’s National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB), and has been jointly implemented by the ICT Authority of Kenya and Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation Limited (TTCL), with coordination from the respective ICT ministries of both countries. According to a press release, this follows the completion of a 130-km fibre route between Mombasa and Horohoro, connecting Kenya’s core fibre network infrastructure to the Tanzanian border. Kenya has reportedly offered discounted fibre leasing rates to Tanzania, aiming to lower internet costs and bridge the digital divide especially in rural and underserved communities. Kenya and Tanzania have previously established cross-border fibre optic links at Namanga and Isibania (see also... Read More →
Africa: Airtel Africa Telesonic Total Fibre Network in Africa Reaches 78,700-Km, March 2025
Leading mobile operator Airtel Africa announced that it has added some 3,300-km of new terrestrial fibre optic transmission networks to its operations across Africa in the last year, increasing its total fibre inventory to 78,700-km by March 2025 (source: 2025 Annual Report). Airtel Africa has deployed fibre networks across the 14 countries in which it operates in sub-Saharan Africa: Chad, Congo, DRC, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The operator previously reported a total fibre inventory of 75,400-km in 2024, 70,500-km in 2023, 64,500-km in 2022, 54,500-km in 2021, and 43,000-km in 2020 (see Africa: Airtel Africa Telesonic Total Fibre Network in Africa Reaches 75,400-Km, Activates 2Africa Submarine Cable Route From Kenya to South Africa). In February 2024, Airtel Africa announced the launch of a subsidiary company called Airtel Africa Telesonic Ltd (Telesonic) to leverage its terrestrial fibre optic cable and submarine... Read More →
Egypt: Telecom Egypt Lands SEA-ME-WE-6 Submarine Cable At Port Said And Ras Ghareb
On 2 July 2025, Telecom Egypt announced the successful completion of the two landings of the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE-6) submarine cable system in Egypt: one in Port Said on the Mediterranean coast, and the other in Ras Ghareb on the Red Sea. Telecom Egypt facilitated the connection between the two coastal landing points with two diverse and resilient terrestrial fibre optic routes across Egypt (see for example Egypt: Telecom Egypt Inaugurates Red2Med Submarine And Terrestrial Fibre Route). With a length of 21,700 km, SEA-ME-WE-6 has a design capacity of 126 Tbps and will run from France (Marseille) to Singapore (Tuas) with landings in Egypt (Port Said, Ras Ghareb), Saudi Arabia (Yanbu), Djibouti (Djibouti City), Pakistan (Karachi), India (Chennai, Mumbai), Maldives (Hulhumale), Sri Lanka (Matara), Bangladesh (Cox’s Bazar) and Malaysia (Morib). This will replace the SEA-ME-WE-3 cable which entered service in 1999 had a design capacity of 4.6 Tbps and was... Read More →
Rwanda: Rwanda’s International Bandwidth Increases By 48% During 2024
Rwanda’s equipped inbound international Internet bandwidth reached 486.574 Gbps in December 2024, according to latest figures published by the Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Agency (RURA). This was a 48% increase compared to 328.384 Gbps in December 2023, 187.954 Gbps in 2022, and 155.127 Gbps in 2021 (see Rwanda: Rwanda’s International Bandwidth Increases By 75% During 2023). More than half of this equipped international bandwidth was actually utilized: according to RURA, Rwanda’s used international bandwidth was 283.099 Gbps in December 2024, compared to 185.270 Gbps in December 2023, 108.273 Gbps in December 2022, and 80.013 Gbps in December 2021. Source: RURA Read More →