Learning
Research
March 9, 2026
Wingu News
The internet is often thought of as virtual, yet it relies on physical infrastructure spanning the globe. Two of its most critical components are submarine fibre-optic cables and data centres. Submarine cables carry vast amounts of data between continents, while data centres store, process, and distribute that information to businesses and users. Together, they form the backbone of the digital economy, supporting cloud computing, financial transactions, streaming services, and online communications.
Across East Africa, this partnership is becoming increasingly important. Rapid growth in mobile connectivity, digital services, and cloud adoption has driven investments in both submarine cable systems and regional data centre capacity. Coastal gateways such as Djibouti and Dar es Salaam serve as entry points where international cables connect the region to global networks. Understanding how these systems work together helps explain why East Africa is emerging as one of the continent’s key digital infrastructure hubs.
The Physical Backbone of East Africa’s International Connectivity
Contrary to popular belief, satellites carry only a small fraction of global data traffic. Most international information travels through submarine cables, fibre-optic systems laid along the ocean floor that link continents via high-capacity pathways. Today, more than 550 active submarine cable systems span over 1.4 million kilometres of ocean, forming the hidden network that keeps the internet running worldwide.1
East Africa’s connectivity has expanded dramatically over the past two decades with the arrival of major submarine cable systems along the Indian Ocean and Red Sea coasts. Key systems include SEACOM, EASSy, 2Africa, and DARE 1, landing at strategic points in Djibouti, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, and Mogadishu, directly linking the region to networks in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Connectivity is expected to grow further with projects like the proposed Blue-Raman submarine cable system, which would extend high-speed links from Djibouti along the East African coast to Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania as part of the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative.
Submarine cables now carry more than 97% of global intercontinental internet traffic.2 By transmitting information as pulses of light through glass fibres, they transport enormous volumes of data across thousands of kilometres. Repeaters along the cables ensure signals remain strong and reliable. While these cables do not deliver internet services directly to users, they connect to onshore landing stations, where international networks link with regional fibre infrastructure.
From the Ocean to the Data Centre
When a submarine cable reaches land, it connects to a landing station, a specialised facility that manages international fibre systems and directs data into terrestrial networks. From there, information flows to nearby data centres, which serve as hubs for processing, storage, and redistribution.
Data centres are highly secure facilities containing thousands of servers, networking equipment, and storage systems. They host enterprise applications, cloud infrastructure, and large volumes of data for businesses, governments, and consumers alike. In East Africa, cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Djibouti, and Dar es Salaam have seen rapid growth in data centre capacity, reflecting the region’s expanding digital economy.
The collaboration between submarine cables and data centres is essential to internet services. Data arriving at landing stations is routed via high-capacity terrestrial links to regional data centres, where it is processed, stored, and distributed through national fibre networks, internet exchange points, and mobile or broadband providers.
Why Data Centres Are Built Near Cable Landing Points
Many data centres are deliberately located near submarine cable landing stations to reduce the distance data must travel before processing. This proximity improves network efficiency and lowers latency, a critical factor for cloud computing, digital payments, streaming platforms, and real-time communications.
Mombasa illustrates this dynamic well, serving as a major connectivity gateway where multiple submarine cables converge. Djibouti has similarly emerged as a strategic interconnection hub, linking Africa with Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. As more cables reach the East African coastline, clusters of interconnected digital infrastructure are forming. These ecosystems bring together data centres, telecom operators, cloud providers, and internet exchanges, allowing networks to exchange traffic efficiently and reliably.
Resilience and Network Diversity
Because so much international connectivity depends on submarine cables, disruptions, whether from natural events like underwater earthquakes or human activity such as fishing or ship anchors, can affect internet services. To reduce these risks, network operators build redundancy and diversify routes.
Data centres connected to multiple submarine cables can automatically reroute traffic if one link fails, while regions with multiple landing points and interconnected facilities are less vulnerable to large-scale outages. This approach is driving investment across East Africa, strengthening the reliability and resilience of the region’s digital infrastructure.
Powering East Africa’s Digital Economy and the Road Ahead
With demand for digital services continuing to rise, a wave of new projects is reshaping the region. Submarine cables are being laid along the Indian Ocean coastline, while additional data centre capacity is being built to handle cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and growing regional internet traffic. Together, these investments are creating an integrated digital corridor that links Africa more closely with Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, establishing East Africa as a hub of connectivity and innovation.
Even where the internet often seems invisible, the physical infrastructure behind it is tangible. Submarine cables and data centres work in tandem as a tightly connected system, powering East Africa’s digital transformation and giving the region a central role in the global digital economy.
Learn more about us.
