Speaking at the official launch, Tanzania’s Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa, and Kenya’s Minister for Information, Communications and Digital Economy, William Kabogo Gitau, jointly emphasized the need to expand digital infrastructure across Africa to drive digital transformation and economic growth.
The newly inaugurated redundancy route provides Tanzania with a vital alternative data corridor by linking through Kenya to eight undersea cables, enhancing digital stability and mitigating the risk of service disruptions from issues at Tanzania’s three marine landing stations in Dar es Salaam.
“This route ensures Tanzania remains digitally connected even if our marine landing points experience disruptions. It also enhances regional data connectivity by enabling faster and more reliable internet services across East and Central Africa.”
Minister Silaa.
The development now digitally connects Tanzania with six neighbouring countries—Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Mozambique—further positioning Tanzania as a key regional connectivity hub. Silaa also revealed plans to extend the fibre optic network to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reinforcing Tanzania’s role as a digital gateway.
He credited President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her leadership in advancing the digital agenda, noting that the National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI) now spans 13,820 kilometres and covers 109 districts, with plans to expand coverage to the remaining 30 districts this financial year.
Kenya’s Minister, William Kabogo Gitau, highlighted the strategic significance of the new link, calling it both a technological milestone and a symbol of regional cooperation.
“This launch is a bold step toward building a unified East African digital future. It lays the foundation for a strong continental digital network that can compete globally.”
Kenya’s Minister, William Kabogo Gitau
Kabogo also proposed the development of Horohoro as a smart border post, enabling real-time data sharing between Tanzanian and Kenyan authorities and showcasing the power of digital integration across borders.
On the technical front, TTCL Director General Moremi Marwa noted that the redundancy route delivers speeds of 1.6 terabits per second, making it one of the fastest data links in the region.