Kenya is now among 11 countries that are set to benefit from the $16.5 million (approximately KES 2.1 billion) fund pledged by the European Union (EU) to back the Africa Broadband Mapping Systems (Africa-BB-Maps) project.
The initiative is also part of the EU’s plan to expand the subsea blue cable project from Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania, as announced by the European Union Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, in Nairobi.
During the launch event of the Africa-BB-Maps, she revealed that the European Union will mobilize about $330 million (~ KES 42.6 billion) towards the project, with several African countries, including Kenya, set to benefit.
“The EU private sector is mobilizing $330 million in this initiative. In Kenya, the EU is connecting 1,000 primary schools with broadband,” she said. “The $16.5 million to be invested in Africa Broadband Mapping Systems will benefit 11 countries, including Kenya.”
The Africa-BB-Maps initiative (2025–2028) is a four-year program led by the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU) with funding from the European Union (EU).
Its goal is to create or enhance harmonized national broadband mapping systems across 11 Sub-Saharan regulatory authorities. Alongside Kenya, the beneficiary countries include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
The Nairobi launch signaled the beginning of Kenya’s operational rollout of the Africa-BB-Maps initiative.
According to David Mugonyi, Director General of the Communications Authority of Kenya, broadband remains vital to the nation’s economic growth. He pointed out that just 47.5% of Kenyan households have Internet access, with penetration falling to 26% in rural areas.
He also emphasized the urgency of bridging this digital divide, highlighting the need to connect 164 sub-locations that currently lack 3G and 4G coverage.
