Government to install 100,000Kms of fiber optic by 2027, says ICT Authority boss Owiti

ICT Authority Board of Directors chairperson Lilly Ng'o (2L), the Authority's acting CEO Zilpher Owiti with other board members and members of Authority's management during an induction exercise at a hotel in Machakos county on September 26, 2025.

The government has pledged to install 100,000 kilometres of high-speed fibre optic infrastructure across Kenya by 2027, the ICT Authority’s acting CEO Zilpher Owiti has announced.

Owiti said the rollout will connect schools, government institutions, health facilities, metro cities, rural businesses, homes and public spaces, enabling universal internet access.

Speaking in Machakos during the induction of the Authority’s board members on Friday, she noted that about 7,000 kilometres of fibre have already been installed since 2023.

The Authority is also working to establish 25,000 internet hotspots nationwide to support innovators, youth and entrepreneurs.

“We are working with several partners such as Kenya Power and other sector players handling connectivity to fast-track the process,” Owiti said.

Beyond connectivity, the Authority is deploying public Wi-Fi, setting up cloud services for government and private sector use, and rolling out 1,450 village digital hubs. These hubs will provide digital literacy training, film production facilities and access to government services.

Other initiatives include a National Physical Addressing System to boost e-commerce, a National Spatial Data Infrastructure for reliable geospatial information, and a Regional Submarine Cable Maintenance Depot to enhance cable servicing in Africa.

Plans are also underway for a Regional Smart ICT Hub and an e-waste management programme.

To strengthen digital service delivery, the Authority is building a digital one-stop shop for government services, automating processes and digitising records.

Capacity building is also underway, targeting 20 million citizens, 350,000 teachers, 300,000 public servants, and 10,000 ICT professionals with high-level skills.

Owiti revealed that more than 1,700 Wi-Fi hotspots have already been installed in markets and other public spaces across the country. She emphasised that cybersecurity remains a priority to ensure a safe digital environment for investors and citizens.

“The ideal situation once we complete the infrastructure is to ensure impact — that citizens are able to access and utilise services which the government is providing,” she said.

ICT Authority board chairperson Lilly Ng’o said the induction session aimed to align the board with the agency’s mandate and roadmap.

“It’s our desire as a board, together with management, to ensure that what we promised President William Ruto and the Kenyan people will be achieved in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” Ng’o said.

She added that the Authority is already working with 19 counties on connectivity programmes, with significant resources being deployed to accelerate the government’s digital agenda.