The governments of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have held discussions on the extension of Tanzania’s National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB), which will, it is hoped, extend through Lake Tanganyika to the DRC province of Kalemie, on the western shore of the lake, by 2027.
By connecting the two countries via a high-capacity fibre optic link, it is hoped that the project will improve broadband access, foster cross-border collaboration, and promote economic development through technology. Tanzania in particular could benefit from bandwidth leasing and an enhanced role as East Africa’s digital gateway.
But there could be many other beneficiaries. In fact one estimate suggests that fibre deployment could cut bandwidth costs by half, especially given present reliance on satellite communications. It could also benefit a wide range of sectors – from mining to digital finance, e-commerce, education, and healthcare.
But it’s not just about accelerating digital transformation across Tanzania and the DRC. The hope is also that this project will strengthen communication infrastructure within the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regions. According to the Ecofin news agency, the backbone – stretching over 7,910 kilometres – already connects Tanzania to six neighbouring countries: Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
It is, however, early days yet, although environmental and technical assessments are said to be currently under way as part of the extention’s design phase.
The meeting to review the project’s progress was held earlier this week at Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL) headquarters in Dar es Salaam, attended by the TTCL Director General and a delegation from the DRC, along with representatives from Tanzania’s Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology.
Little was revealed after the meeting, although we do know that officials from both nations are committed to quarterly reviews to accelerate timelines and mitigate funding risks.
Ecofin says the proposed cable, spanning 160-186 kilometres, will utilise G.652D single-mode fibre optic technology capable of initial 100 Gbps capacity, expandable to terabits.
It addresses the lake’s challenges, including depths up to 1,470 metres and seismic risks along the East African Rift, through specialised burial techniques and environmental safeguards.
Compliance with Ramsar Convention protections for the lake’s biodiversity are also promised. The Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Construction is to begin in early 2026. Full operations are targeted for late 2027. The project’s value is said to be somewhere between US$15-20 million. It involves public-private partnerships including Mauritius-based Bandwidth and Cloud Services Group, a wholesale carrier providing fibre connectivity solutions, for technical expertise.
This isn’t the only cross-border fibre connectivity news from Tanzania recently. In July this year we reported that TTLC and Kenya’s ICT Authority (ICTA) had implemented and launched a new terrestrial fibre link connecting Tanzania’s biggest city, Dar-Es-Salaam, to Mombasa on Kenya’s southeastern coast.
