The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) aims to raise Ksh 40.04 billion from telecommunication service providers to expand connectivity in underserved regions across the country.
The funds will be collected through the Universal Service Fund (USF), which mandates telcos to contribute 0.05 percent of their gross revenue to improve access in marginalized areas.
According to CA Director General David Mugonyi, the funds will help provide connectivity to at least 1.5 million people nationwide.
Mugonyi said phase four of the USF rollout will cover approximately 311 sub-locations, with the goal of bringing communication services in these areas on par with urban centers.
As outlined in the five-year Universal Service Fund Strategy 2023–2027, the largest portion—Ksh 29.05 billion, or 73 percent of the projected funding—will go towards expanding broadband coverage and usage in underserved and unserved communities.
A 2021 access gap study conducted by CA found that 96.4 percent of the population had coverage. The new strategy aims to raise this figure to 100 percent within five years.
To support this initiative, CA is collaborating with security agencies to protect telecom infrastructure, particularly in high-risk areas prone to vandalism and damage.
Additional allocations under the strategy include:
- Ksh 865 million to enhance digital terrestrial TV and radio coverage,
- Ksh 3.1 billion to expand postal and courier services,
- Ksh 4.57 billion for digital empowerment programs targeting youth, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups,
- Ksh 453 million to strengthen institutional performance and improve the fund’s absorption and impact.
The CA says these efforts are part of a broader push to bridge Kenya’s digital divide and ensure equitable access to communication services for all citizens.
