MTN Group’s digital infrastructure company, Bayobab, has unveiled a new strategic fiber route connecting Uganda and Kenya, strengthening East Africa’s digital backbone and providing Uganda with improved access to international connectivity.
The project connects the newly completed 260-kilometer Uganda Railway corridor fiber route from Kampala to Tororo (with an extension to the border town of Malaba) with Kenya’s National Long Distance (NLD) fiber that runs from Mombasa to Malaba along the Kenya Railways Meter Gauge Route.
This integration creates a continuous fiber corridor spanning two countries and providing Uganda, a landlocked nation, with the shortest and most resilient path to Kenya’s coastal subsea cable landing stations in Mombasa.
The Uganda section of the corridor was constructed between December 2024 and February 2025, with the entire route designed to avoid common infrastructure vulnerabilities. By laying the fiber along railway infrastructure rather than roadways, Bayobab aims to protect the network from road-related disruptions that frequently affect traditional fiber installations.
“By interconnecting with Uganda via this high-capacity route, we are enhancing regional digital resilience, creating alternative routes for traffic, and opening new opportunities for businesses and communities along the corridor. This is not just fiber in the ground — it’s a new pathway for digital transformation across East Africa,” said Sylvia Anampiu, Managing Director of Bayobab Kenya.
The fiber system serves multiple purposes in the regional digital ecosystem, including
- Provides low-latency, high-capacity connectivity between the two countries
- Creates a backup route to existing fiber paths, enhancing regional resilience
- Supports connectivity for both rural communities and high-demand enterprises
- Connects major data centers across Uganda and Kenya
- Enables hyperscalers and enterprises to expand operations within East Africa
For Uganda, which has historically faced challenges with international connectivity due to its landlocked position, this project represents a major advancement in digital infrastructure. The connection to Mombasa’s submarine cable landing stations ensures Ugandan businesses and consumers have improved access to global digital services.
The East Africa Corridor forms part of Bayobab’s broader strategy to build cross-border digital infrastructure throughout Africa. As an MTN Group company, Bayobab focuses on creating next-generation digital services that connect African countries both to each other and to global networks.
The company’s approach involves securing fiber routes along protected infrastructure corridors, creating partnerships across borders, and focusing on high-impact projects that address specific regional connectivity challenges.
