In 2012, TiM helped develop Kenya’s National Broadband Strategy - a document that set ambitious targets for connectivity, digital infrastructure, and online services. Eleven years on, it is worth asking: what did Kenya achieve? Where did the strategy fall short?
What was achieved
Kenya’s broadband landscape has been transformed. Mobile broadband, driven by aggressive competition among operators and the success of M-Pesa as a digital payments gateway, has reached the majority of Kenyans. 4G coverage is near-universal in urban areas.
Where it fell short
- Rural-urban divide remains significant, particularly for fixed broadband
- Quality of service standards were not adequately enforced
- Last-mile connectivity remained expensive in informal settlements
- Digital skills development lagged behind connectivity investment
- Local content creation received less policy attention than access
Lessons for the next generation
Kenya is now developing a new National Broadband Strategy that must grapple with a changed landscape: 5G on the horizon, satellite broadband reshaping the market, and cloud computing creating new demands for high-capacity connections.