Fahari Link, Tatu City's new internet company, bridges the digital divide for thousands of underserved residents
TATU CITY, Kenya, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rendeavour, Africa's largest new city builder and the owner and developer of Tatu City, the 5,000-acre new city on Nairobi's doorstep, has created a new company to deliver high-speed internet connectivity to thousands of digitally underserved residents in nearby towns and informal settlements.
(Left to right) Frank Mosier, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Rendeavour; Alex Kahu, Country Head, Kenya, Rendeavour; Hon. John Njogu, Gitothua Ward MCA; and Linda Nyaseda, Head of City Management, Tatu City, during the launch of Fahari Link, Tatu City’s new internet company, targeting digitally underserved communities in Kenya (Credit: Tatu City).
By investing in critical digital infrastructure, Fahari Link will provide low connection fees, daily internet plans, reliable internet connectivity and technical support to citizens of Kiambu County, including those earning subsistence wages.
In addition to connecting homes, Fahari Link will deploy wifi internet connections in public spaces such as shopping centres and sports fields, ensuring that digital access is available to all, including mobile users.
"With Fahari Link, we are not just connecting people; we are connecting aspirations, opportunities, and futures," said Alex Kahu, Deputy Country Head, Kenya, Rendeavour, the owner and developer of Tatu City. "By expanding affordable internet and broadband services to our neighbouring community, Tatu City is ensuring that no one is left behind in Africa's digital future."
The transformative initiative was announced at a ceremony presided over by Hon. Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, at the American Chamber of Commerce Business Summit at Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club in Nairobi.
In December 2022, President Biden launched the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative, committing over $350 million to expand digital access and literacy across the African continent. With Africa's projected population of 1.7 billion by 2030, doubling internet connectivity to 1 billion users is a key goal. Digital access is especially important for women and girls who rely on the internet to acquire new skills, address health disparities, and improve the overall quality of life for themselves and their families.
"Through the DTA, we're working to deliver technical assistance and investment that support private sector-led projects to expand digital access, increase digital literacy, and strengthen digitally enabling environments across Africa," said Secretary Raimondo.
Fahari Link has invested heavily in acquiring wholesale bandwidth from global internet service providers to extend its reach to areas beyond Tatu City, including the informal communities of BTL, OJ and Rutoro. Rapidly growing Ruiru, the sixth fastest growing town in Africa, will be served, as well as the communities of Oaklands, Murera, Kamakis and other parts of Kiambu County. In total, Fahari's services will be available to close to one million people.
"This is great news for the people in the surrounding communities around Tatu City, including BTL and Gitothua. This development will make a huge difference to individuals and businesses, giving them the tools they need to develop, grow, and prosper in an increasingly digital world," said Hon John Njogu, MCA Gitothua Ward, Kiambu County.
Tatu Telecom, Tatu City's telecommunications company, has laid over 40 km of fibre optic cables and currently serves over 1,000 residential and commercial customers, including schools and local, regional, and multinational companies within Tatu City. Tatu Telecom offers internet with record browsing speeds, reliability, and robust troubleshooting measures facilitated by in-house engineers. Tatu Telecom has also built an open-access network, allowing multiple internet service providers to serve Tatu City residents and businesses.
For a film about Fahari Link, please visit: https://youtu.be/btQu8kfngEo.
About Tatu City (www.tatucity.com)
Tatu City is a 5,000-acre new city on Nairobi's doorstep with homes, schools, businesses, a shopping district, medical clinic, nature areas and recreation for more than 250,000 residents and tens of thousands of day visitors. Tatu City's schools educate thousands of students daily, a range of homes suits all incomes and more than 78 businesses thrive in the country's first operational Special Economic Zone. Located 30 minutes from Westlands, Tatu City represents a new way of living and thinking for all Kenyans in a live, work and play environment that is free from traffic congestion and long-distance commuting.
More than 78 local, regional and global businesses are operational or under development in Tatu City's business-friendly location, including CCI Global, Heineken, Kärcher, Dormans, Copia, Cooper K-Brands, Grit Real Estate Income Group, Twiga Foods, Freight Forwarders Solutions, ADvTECH, Friendship Group and Davis & Shirtliff. Business benefits at Tatu City SEZ include VAT zero-rating, import and stamp duty exemptions and 10% corporate tax for the first 10 years.
Tatu City is a development by Rendeavour, Africa's largest new city builder with 30,000 acres of visionary projects in growth trajectories across Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
