As Kenya surges forward in its journey toward a fully digital economy, one player is quietly but powerfully laying the groundwork for that transformation.
Known as Africa’s Carriers’ Carrier and an award-winning, pan-African wholesale connectivity provider, WIOCC has positioned itself as the backbone of future-ready internet infrastructure in Kenya and across the continent.
Engineering Kenya’s Digital Backbone
WIOCC’s vision is clear for Kenya: To make an enduring contribution to Kenya’s communications.
WIOCC is deploying carrier-scale, future-proof, open-access digital infrastructure to drive sustainable development across the region. Through strategic investments in subsea cables, national long-distance fibre, and metro networks, WIOCC enables global hyperscalers, cloud providers, internet service providers (ISPs), and telcos to deliver scalable, high-performance digital services.
This infrastructure provides a robust foundation for clients to extend their reach, enter new markets and reduce the cost of network expansion.
Transforming Kenya’s Digital Future
Kenya has rapidly positioned itself as a strategic technology and innovation hub in Africa, and WIOCC is at the heart of this transformation. With a bold mission to be Africa’s leading carrier’s carrier, WIOCC is playing a pivotal role in accelerating connectivity, creating digital ecosystems and enabling Kenya’s digital economy.
In key cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa, WIOCC is actively expanding its metro network infrastructure to support the growing demand for high-capacity bandwidth and high-quality digital services across the region. These networks are critical enablers for internet ISPs, content providers and cloud platforms to deliver reliable, scalable and low-latency connectivity.
Recognising the importance of seamless internet exchange, WIOCC is also making significant investments in strengthening Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). These efforts are optimising the flow of both regional and international traffic – resulting in improved performance, reduced latency and lower operational costs for ISPs.
In October 2024, WIOCC marked a major milestone with the official launch of WIOCC Kenya Limited, unveiling three foundational infrastructure projects that are reshaping the country’s connectivity landscape:
- The Mombasa Metro Network
- The Nairobi County Metro Network
- A Protected National Long-Distance (NLD) Network linking Mombasa and Nairobi
These projects have successfully interconnected major data centres across both cities while extending reach to vital submarine cable landing stations. For local ISPs, this means simplified access to high-capacity bandwidth, faster speeds, greater network resilience and the ability to scale operations more efficiently and cost-effectively.
WIOCC’s open-access model – offering neutral, carrier-grade infrastructure to all licensed operators is a cornerstone of its strategy. It enables startups and regional ISPs to access the same high-performance backbone networks as major telcos, without the need to invest in duplicating costly infrastructure.
“Open access promotes fair competition and accelerates digital inclusion,” James Wekesa, Group Chief Commercial Officer and Country Manager, WIOCC, says. It also supports Kenya’s digital economy blueprint by enabling shared infrastructure and broader regional reach.
Powering The Internet of Tomorrow
From investments in the 2Africa subsea cable – the longest subsea cable in the world offering extensive reach around Africa – to future-proof fibre infrastructure that supports low-latency, ultra-fast content delivery, WIOCC is positioning Kenya to lead the next wave of cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven services. As major tech giants and content network providers deliver content closer to users through content distribution networks (CDNs) and edge computing, WIOCC’s infrastructure ensures Kenya is prepared for its role as a regional digital hub.
With its forward-thinking investments and commitment to open-access infrastructure, WIOCC is not just supporting Kenya’s digital transformation – it’s shaping the future of connectivity across Africa. As the continent embraces a new era of technological innovation, WIOCC stands at the forefront, ensuring that Kenya and the wider region remain competitive, connected and future-ready.
