EU’s Sh2.3bn project to help Kenya bridge digital divide

Kenya has secured a place among 11 African countries set to benefit from a Sh2.3 billion funding package committed by the European Union (EU) towards the Africa Broadband Mapping Systems project.

The funding, worth 15 million euros, will be channelled into expanding digital infrastructure, with Kenya also earmarked to benefit from the EU’s plan to extend the subsea blue cable project running from Djibouti to Tanzania.

The announcement was made on August 25, 2025, in Nairobi by EU Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger during the launch of the project.

She said the initiative is backed by a strong private sector drive, with “the EU private sector mobilising 300 million euros (Sh45.28 billion) in this initiative. In Kenya, the EU is connecting 1,000 primary schools with broadband.”

The Africa Broadband Mapping Systems project is spearheaded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and will also cover Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Communications Authority of Kenya Director-General David Mugonyi welcomed the support, noting that broadband remains central to Kenya’s economic growth.

He highlighted that only 47.5 percent of Kenyan households currently have internet access, with the figure dropping sharply to 26 percent in rural areas.

He added that 164 sublocations across the country still lack 3G and 4G connectivity.

“There is a need to eliminate this digital divide,” Mugonyi said, stressing that the Authority is working with other government institutions to build a digital superhighway linking schools, health centres, and public facilities to high-speed internet.

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke underscored the importance of the initiative, stating that broadband is no longer a luxury but a key driver of socio-economic development, innovation, and prosperity.