ICT provider invests Sh1.5b on network expansion

By Osinde Obare

Africa Online holdings, a Pan-African Internet Communication Technology (ICT) provider, has injected over Sh1.5 billion to expand the Internet network capacity in eight African countries.

Shiletsi Makhofane, the chief operations officer said the firm’s investment target was to double the number of users in the continent.

Makhofane said over Sh560 million has been allocated for the expansion of Internet services in several towns.

He spoke at Noigam Primary school in Cherangany Constituency when he handed over two new classrooms and desks to the community funded by the firm at a cost of Sh1 million, a project undertaken by the Kitale Catholic Church diocese.

Noigam Primary school hosted over 40,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Payback For Charity

Area MP Joshua Kutuny and Kitale Catholic Church Bishop Maurice Crowley lauded the assistance saying most of the school’s infrastructure had been destroyed by the IDPs.

Makhofane said the assistance was a gift to the school for accepting to accommodate those affected by the 2007 post-election violence.

"We decided to rehabilitate the school infrastructure to reciprocate your hospitality to IDPs," said the CEO.

He said the firm enjoys 10 per cent market share and the expansion project would accelerate its projected growth.

"It is Africa Online’s goal to provide revolutionary technologies that come from extensive research to meet demands of various markets," he added.