Meta has partnered with Safaricom, selecting the East African telecommunications leader as the landing partner for its second high-capacity submarine fibre optic cable in Kenya. This new system, named the Daraja Fibre Optic Cable, will run 4,108 kilometers to connect Mombasa, Kenya, and Salalah, Oman.
The Daraja Fibre Optic Cable will be fully funded by Meta’s subsidiary, Edge Network Services Limited. The subsidiary has secured a stake in the project, contributing approximately USD 23 million to the Kenyan segment of the cable. This investment complements Meta’s broader global subsea infrastructure strategy, which includes massive projects like the 2Africa and Pearls cable systems.
Daraja Fibre Optic Cable key technical specifications
The Daraja Fibre Optic Cable is designed with 24 fiber pairs, which is significantly more than the 8 to 16 pairs typical of older cables. This configuration is expected to substantially increase bandwidth across the region.
The increased capacity will directly support the rapid expansion of 4G, 5G, and fixed broadband services throughout East Africa.
The project, which involves local operators in Kenya and Oman managing the cable within their territorial waters, is slated to go live in 2026. The cable will land at Nyali Beach in Mombasa, with routes extending into Tanzanian waters.
For Safaricom, the partnership is a key strategic milestone as it celebrates 25 years in operation and prepares to transition into a full-fledged technology company.
Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, highlighted the significance of the deal: “This deal is a significant strategic milestone for us at Safaricom. It positions us to meet the surging demand for high-capacity, low-latency connectivity which is critical for powering economic growth, cloud adoption, and digital innovation.”
Safaricom, listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), is East Africa’s leading telecommunications company, serving over 50 million customers.