The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to Pan-African service provider, SEACOM Ltd., for a feasibility study to evaluate the market for fibre telecommunications services in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.
The grant will provide SEACOM with analysis to determine where to expand infrastructure in the target countries and recommend related investments, such as fibre optic cabling and network equipment to increase and improve access to services across East Africa.
The project will provide affordable, reliable high-speed connections across East Africa, enhancing business growth and spurring innovation and productivity in the region.
“USTDA is pleased to build on its partnership with SEACOM to support this important project,” said Director (Acting) Thomas R. Hardy.
“We are responding to a growing demand for affordable and reliable high-speed connections in the region and in a way that expands opportunities for U.S. companies.”
Seacom – a Pan-African telecommunications company, and subsea fibre cable operator – first started offering access to large service providers on its subsea cable in 2009.
It is privately owned and operated, allowing the company the agility to rapidly deploy new services, commercial structures and infrastructure in response to customer requirements. It is also able to provide truly open access services with no red tape or hidden costs.
“USTDA has been a valued partner to SEACOM since its early beginnings and has been fundamental to the launch and growth of the Internet in Africa. Their continued support through this project will enable critical research on enterprise markets in East Africa, and produce related investment recommendations. SEACOM looks forward to continuing this partnership and the project’s success,” said Suveer Ramdhani, Chief Strategy Officer of Seacom.
Acting Director Hardy signed the grant along with Ramdhani at the Corporate Council on Africa U.S.-Africa Business Summit 2019 in Maputo, Mozambique.
The project supports Access Africa, a partnership between USTDA and U.S. industry leaders to advance the development of high-quality information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and services across Sub-Saharan Africa.
