MTN Group’s digital infrastructure arm, Bayobab, has taken a major step forward in reshaping East Africa’s connectivity landscape with the launch of a strategic cross-border fibre optic route between Uganda and Kenya. The newly completed 260-kilometre fibre link, running along the Uganda Railway corridor from Kampala to Malaba, connects directly to Kenya’s National Long Distance (NLD) fibre line from Mombasa to Malaba, forming a robust digital backbone that spans both nations.
This high-capacity corridor, completed between December 2024 and February 2025, is not just about laying fibre—it’s about transforming how data moves across East Africa. By leveraging railway infrastructure rather than traditional roadways, Bayobab has created a fibre network that is less prone to physical disruptions and more resilient in the face of increasing data demands.
A Boost for Uganda’s Digital Access
For Uganda, a landlocked country that has long grappled with challenges in accessing global digital networks, this fibre corridor represents a breakthrough. By creating the shortest and most direct route to Mombasa’s subsea cable landing stations, Bayobab is significantly improving Uganda’s access to international bandwidth, reducing latency, and expanding network capacity.
The new corridor enhances connectivity to major data centers in Kampala—such as Raxio, Airtel House, and MTN Uganda—and ensures that businesses, cloud providers, telecom operators, and ISPs benefit from improved service reliability and faster data speeds. With over one terabyte of bandwidth capacity, this route is well-equipped to support high-demand digital services including streaming, cloud computing, and enterprise applications.
Empowering Communities and Businesses
Bayobab’s fibre corridor does more than connect cities—it empowers communities. With reliable internet access along the railway route, rural areas in Uganda and Kenya can now tap into the digital economy, closing the rural-urban connectivity gap. The route also provides a critical backup path to existing fibre infrastructure, enhancing redundancy and service continuity for the region.
“This isn’t just about fibre in the ground—it’s about enabling digital transformation,” said Sylvia Anampiu, Managing Director of Bayobab Kenya. “By creating alternative routes and connecting landlocked countries to global internet gateways, we’re building resilience and unlocking opportunity.”
Related story: Bayobab completes acquisition of MTN Zambia’s fibre assets
A Strategic Vision for Africa
The Uganda–Kenya corridor is a key part of Bayobab’s pan-African vision to connect markets and people across the continent. With an existing 114,000km fibre footprint and plans to expand to 135,000km by 2025, Bayobab is positioning itself as a leading player in Africa’s digital infrastructure space.
By integrating protected infrastructure corridors, collaborating with national railway systems, and investing in high-impact routes, Bayobab continues to advance MTN Group’s mission to power Africa’s digital economy.
With East Africa’s digital resilience stronger than ever, this project lays the groundwork for a future where every country—landlocked or coastal—has equal access to the world’s digital opportunities.
