Kenya Launches 60Tbps Coastal Cable to Boost Digital Infrastructure, Investment

Kenya is set to strengthen its digital infrastructure with the launch of the LuLu Coastal Cable System, a new submarine network designed to improve connectivity, attract data-centre investment and support technology-driven economic activity along the country’s Indian Ocean coastline.

The system, unveiled at ITW Africa 2026, will connect five strategic landing points across approximately 500 kilometres of coastline between Mombasa and Lamu.

Developed by INDOI Ltd in partnership with Blue Trade Investments Limited, ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, AfriTrade Consulting Group and Kingdom Bank Limited, LuLu is described as Kenya’s first fully protected coastal submarine cable network.

The infrastructure will combine a submarine cable laid along the ocean floor with a parallel protected terrestrial route, providing two separate connectivity paths.

The dual-route architecture is intended to improve network resilience and availability for governments, telecommunications operators, data centres and other organisations that depend on reliable digital connectivity.

Cable Targets 60Tbps Capacity

The LuLu Coastal Cable System will deploy dense wavelength division multiplexing technology and feature 144 fibre pairs.

According to the developers, the network is designed to support capacity of up to 60 terabits per second per fibre pair.

The system is expected to have an operational lifespan of 25 years and will be managed through a centralised network management platform.

It is scheduled to become ready for service in the second quarter of 2028, subject to the execution of the necessary contracts.

INDOI founder and Chief Executive Officer Arunachalam Kandasamy said the project was designed to address a longstanding digital infrastructure gap along Kenya’s coast.

“East Africa is not a market of the future — it is a market of right now,” Kandasamy said.

He described the Mombasa-to-Lamu corridor as one of East Africa’s most commercially important coastal regions, adding that the cable would provide a permanent digital backbone for the area.

Vipingo SEZ Targets Data Centres, Cloud Investment

One of the most significant components of the project is its planned connection to the Vipingo Special Economic Zone.

Direct submarine connectivity could strengthen the zone’s ability to attract digital infrastructure investments alongside its existing industrial and logistics ambitions.

The developers said improved connectivity could support hyperscale data centres, regional cloud computing nodes, business-process outsourcing operations and global business-services campuses.

It could also provide infrastructure for fintech and payment-processing platforms, cybersecurity operations centres and internet-of-things applications in manufacturing.

Vipingo SEZ is being developed as an integrated industrial and digital platform with the potential to mobilise as much as $3 billion in investment.

ARISE IIP Kenya Country Head George Olaka said the development was intended to combine industrial activity with logistics and digital infrastructure rather than operate solely as a conventional industrial zone.

The LuLu cable could therefore provide another incentive for technology-intensive companies considering investments in the economic zone.

Kenya Strengthens Coastal Digital Corridor

The cable will include landing points in Mombasa, Vipingo Special Economic Zone, Kilifi and Malindi, alongside its broader connection towards Lamu.

Blue Trade Investments Limited, INDOI’s Kenya-registered infrastructure partner, will serve as the designated cable landing party, regulatory interface and operational delivery partner for the project.

The company will work with Kenyan regulators, government institutions and coastal communities as the project moves towards implementation.

For Kenya, expanding high-capacity fibre infrastructure along the coast could improve redundancy in its telecommunications network while supporting businesses that require large amounts of reliable bandwidth.

This is becoming increasingly important as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital financial services and data-intensive businesses expand across African markets.

Digital Infrastructure Becomes Investment Driver

Kingdom Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Anthony Mburu said the project reflected the growing relationship between digital infrastructure and wider economic investment.

“The LuLu Cable System highlights the increasing importance of digital infrastructure in driving investment, connectivity and economic activity along Kenya’s coast,” Mburu said.

Kingdom Bank, a subsidiary of the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, is supporting Blue Trade Investments as the project develops.

AfriTrade Consulting Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Caroline Saroni said successful implementation would depend on regulatory approvals, licensing and commercial execution.

The company has advised on transaction structuring, regulatory clearance and compliance while helping connect the Vipingo SEZ and INDOI.

Infrastructure Could Unlock New Investment

Beyond improving internet connectivity, the LuLu project could strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional destination for data centres, cloud infrastructure and digitally enabled businesses.

The cable is also expected to support development along the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport corridor, commonly known as LAPSSET.

For businesses operating along Kenya’s coast, greater fibre capacity and network redundancy could provide the infrastructure required for increasingly data-intensive operations.

INDOI, headquartered in Mauritius, will serve as the developer, owner and commercial operator of the LuLu Cable System.

If completed as planned, the system will add another layer to Kenya’s expanding digital infrastructure while connecting industrial development, special economic zones and technology investment along one of East Africa’s most important economic corridors.