Meta Taps Safaricom for New ‘Daraja’ Submarine Cable Linking Kenya to Oman
In a significant move to bolster Kenya’s international connectivity, Meta has selected Safaricom as the landing partner for a new high-capacity subsea cable. The cable, named Daraja (Swahili for “bridge”), will create a new route connecting Kenya directly to Oman.
This marks Meta’s second major submarine cable investment in the country, following its involvement in the massive 2Africa cable. The Daraja project, fully funded by Meta’s Irish subsidiary, Edge Network Services Limited, is a strategic investment aimed at enhancing the reliability of internet services across East Africa.
The new Oman-Kenya route is strategically crucial. It provides a vital new path for internet traffic, diversifying Kenya’s connectivity and reducing its dependence on existing cables, many of which run through vulnerable chokepoints like the Red Sea.
Recent history has highlighted the fragility of East Africa’s internet, with multiple service disruptions in 2024 and early 2025 caused by cable cuts in the Red Sea and off the coast of South Africa. The Daraja cable, by providing a new, direct, and high-capacity alternative, is designed to mitigate these risks and ensure more stable, low-latency connectivity.
The $23 million, 4,108-kilometer cable is expected to be operational by 2026 and will feature 24 fiber pairs, offering significantly more capacity than most current systems serving the region.
For Safaricom, this partnership is a cornerstone of its long-term strategy. The deal, announced as the telco marks its 25th anniversary, represents its first direct investment in submarine cable ownership, a major shift from its previous model of leasing capacity.
“This deal is a significant strategic milestone for us,” said Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom. “It signals our readiness to transition into a fully-fledged tech company in line with our Vision 2030 strategy.”
Ndegwa emphasized that the infrastructure is essential for the company’s future growth beyond traditional services.
“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,” he added.
This new infrastructure will be the backbone for Safaricom’s expanding services in cloud computing, e-commerce, and financial services, positioning Kenya as a premier digital hub for the region, including landlocked neighbors like Uganda and Rwanda.
As the landing partner, Safaricom will build and operate the cable landing station in Mombasa and manage the in-country fiber infrastructure to connect the cable to Kenya’s core internet backbone.
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