Kilifi County gets boost as IT firm invests Sh36.4m

KILIFI: Liquid Telecom is investing Sh36.4 million in Internet infrastructure that will see businesses and Government premises within Kilifi County inter-connected.

This is part of the firm’s $50 million (Sh4.55 billion) investment in partnership with counties that has so far resulted in 39 of the country’s 47 counties benefit from data connectivity. The move will see 11 ministries in Kilifi connected on a 10-kilometre Wide Area Network (WAN) via fibre optics, two other ministries connected via microwave and four remote sites connected on very small aperture terminal (VSAT).

AFFORDABLE ACCESS

Kilifi will thus enjoy first-in-class internet connection as well as reliable and affordable access to the internet necessary for the delivery of services to the public, including a revenue collection system that the county plans to upgrade. In addition, the county’s prominence as a tourism hub is expected to attract investment by entities that view fibre connectivity as a major enabler of business.

“As we venture into Kilifi, we seek to facilitate the opening up of the county to new business opportunities, and also enable Kenyans in Kilifi access to government services enjoyed by residents of Kenya’s cities,” said Liquid Telecom Kenya, Chief Commercial Officer Paul Statham.

The project is expected to be completed in four months, after which the data, voice and IP services provider plans to undertake similar installations in Meru, Kisumu, Migori and Kisii counties.

“We are still on course to having all the counties in Kenya connected. This way, investment and development are no longer confined to the cities but are also channelled to and felt across the whole of Kenya for the benefit of all,” Statham said in a statement.

One of the major benefits of internet connectivity, according to McKinsey and Company, is job creation.