Kenya’s digital infrastructure continues to strengthen at an impressive pace, with total active international internet bandwidth increasing by 16.4% to exceed 28,130 Gbps during the first quarter of 2026. The latest figures highlight the country’s growing capacity to support expanding internet demand, digital services, cloud computing, streaming platforms, and the broader digital economy.
A major contributor to this growth was SEACOM, which increased its active capacity by 53.3%, expanding from 6,850 Gbps to 10,500 Gbps within the quarter. The company also recently enhanced its Nairobi-to-Kampala fibre route through Kisumu, further strengthening regional connectivity and supporting faster, more reliable internet services across East Africa. Other submarine cable operators, including EASSY, PEACE, Lion 2, and DARE 1, also recorded capacity increases, reflecting continued investment in Kenya’s international connectivity infrastructure.
While available bandwidth expanded significantly, utilized bandwidth grew by a more moderate 3% to approximately 17,758 Gbps. This translates to an internet utilization rate of about 63%, indicating that Kenya still has substantial capacity available to accommodate future growth in internet usage, digital services adoption, enterprise connectivity, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things.
The steady expansion of international bandwidth also has important implications for consumers and businesses. Increased capacity typically drives down the cost per gigabyte of data, creating opportunities for more affordable broadband services and enhanced internet performance. The market has already witnessed this trend through more competitive home fibre packages, pricing adjustments by major internet service providers, and increased competition from new entrants in the connectivity market.
Kenya’s internet backbone has nearly doubled over the past three years, growing from 14,413 Gbps in March 2023 to more than 28,130 Gbps in March 2026. This sustained investment underscores the country’s ambition to remain a leading digital economy in Africa, providing the infrastructure foundation needed to support innovation, digital transformation, business growth, and improved access to online services for millions of users.
