Kenya’s AI ambitions face infrastructure test as $2 billion subsea cable takes shape

Seacom Chief Technology Officer Prenesh Padayachee with journalist Nancy Kacungira/HANDOUTA $2 billion (Sh258 billion) subsea cable linking Africa directly to Asia is expected to bring additional internet capacity to Kenya from 2030, as growing demand for artificial intelligence exposes the limitations of existing connectivity infrastructure.

The cable, being developed by Mauritius-headquartered Seacom, will create a new connectivity route across the Indian Ocean, with Mombasa serving as a key landing point for East Africa’s internet traffic.

Speaking on BBC Africa Enterprise, Seacom Chief Technology Officer Prenesh Padayachee said the Indian Ocean basin remains underserved by subsea connectivity compared with established routes between Europe and North America.

“The Indian Ocean basin is fairly devoid of connectivity and very little subsea cables in that area,” Padayachee said.

He said the growing use of artificial intelligence would require significantly higher internet speeds and capacity than existing subsea cables were designed to provide.

“What you are going to find is that AI will drive high speed connectivity in a very elastic way. So, not what we typically have in a home today, but now you’re looking at 10s or hundreds of gigabits of capacity,” he told host Nancy Kacungira.

“If you look at the cables that exist today, that technology won’t run on those older cables. So, we’re building a newer cable with newer technology that allows us to have high speed connectivity.”

Seacom, which launched Africa’s first privately owned subsea fibre-optic cable in 2009, is among a growing number of companies investing in dedicated connectivity infrastructure. Technology companies such as Google and Meta are also laying their own subsea cables to secure capacity and reduce connectivity costs.

Padayachee said direct investment in infrastructure allows technology companies to drive down the cost of connectivity, an approach Seacom has pursued since entering the market.

The infrastructure expansion comes as Kenyan banks, technology startups and other businesses adopt machine learning and artificial intelligence applications that require faster and more reliable data transmission.

It also coincides with the implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2030, a five-year plan aimed at positioning Kenya as a leading African centre for AI innovation.

However, the policy environment remains unsettled following the rejection of the Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 by a Senate committee, which raised concerns that its proposed penalties and regulatory reach could constrain local startups.

The delay in establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework places greater attention on the infrastructure required to support AI adoption, including the capacity, reliability and cost of internet connectivity.

For businesses, the transition to AI-ready networks will influence the cost and speed of deploying digital services, as well as the reliability of systems that increasingly depend on large volumes of data.

The expansion of connectivity also raises cybersecurity concerns as more sensitive information moves across networks and national borders.

The Communications Authority of Kenya reported that distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks increased by 114.3 per cent to 72.16 million in the year to June 2026. On November 2, Kenya inaugurated the board of its new National Cybersecurity Agency, mandated to protect critical information infrastructure.

Seacom is also considering new security technologies to protect data transmitted through its infrastructure, including post-quantum cryptography, as cyber threats become more sophisticated.

Padayachee said the company was exploring the use of quantum technologies to strengthen encryption and stay ahead of cybercriminals.

“So, we’re using quantum physics, or we’ll start to use quantum physics, to encrypt data. Cyber criminals will continue to be there and all of these threat actors will continue to be there. It’s about being one step ahead of them,” he said.

Beyond the technology, Padayachee said the planned cable could help transform how African countries approach internet connectivity, arguing that it should be treated as an essential service alongside electricity and water.

“I think it’ll go part of the way to unleash the African continent,” he said.

“For many, many years I said connectivity should be considered as an essential service, similar to electricity and water. If you start to look at it like that, you’ll then start to understand that this has become the lifeline for many things people can’t do.”

With the cable expected to be completed in 2030, Kenya faces the challenge of expanding its existing network capacity while preparing for an economy in which AI applications will demand faster, more reliable and more affordable connectivity.

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