Africa's push to expand affordable internet access continues to draw global attention, particularly from international organizations working to close the digital divide. One of the most notable recent successes has emerged from Kenya, where the cost of connecting schools to the internet has fallen sharply, strengthening the country's position as a regional digital leader.
Giga, a global initiative backed by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union ITU and focused on connecting schools to the internet, has reported that Kenya reduced school connectivity prices by about 60 percent. The development has been welcomed by digital inclusion advocates, including the Alliance for Affordable Internet, as a practical example of how policy reform and market design can lower access costs.
The reduction was achieved through the use of Kenya's national fibre backbone and the introduction of greater competition among service providers. By encouraging long-term agreements with local suppliers and setting clear technical and service standards, the government created a framework that allowed providers to deliver more reliable services at lower prices. These early results helped build confidence among public sector partners, enabling the initiative to scale nationally with technical and procurement support from Giga.
