Pan-African telecommunications and network services provider Paratus Group has today switched on a major new fibre route in East Africa, directly connecting Mombasa on the Kenyan coast to Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through a protected terrestrial network.
The newly activated 2 000km G2M (Goma-to-Mombasa) fibre route runs via Kigali (Rwanda), Kampala (Uganda) and Nairobi (Kenya), with direct interconnections into key data centres in each city. Now live and already carrying traffic for its first wholesale customers, the route delivers resilient, high-capacity connectivity designed specifically for carriers, internet service providers and enterprise clients operating across borders.
The launch significantly strengthens Paratus Group’s East Africa footprint, creating a continuous, fully integrated regional network that links inland markets directly to global subsea cable capacity on the coast. In partnership with Roke Telkom in Uganda and MoveOn Telecoms in Kenya, Paratus is fully licensed in all East African countries through its subsidiary operating companies, Paratus Rwanda, Paratus Uganda and Paratus Kenya. The new G2M route complements the Paratus LEO satellite footprint in Goma, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.
For businesses and service providers in eastern DRC and neighbouring countries, this means faster access to international networks, improved reliability and lower latency – opening the region to greater digital participation and growth.
The new route complements Paratus Group’s broader East-West fibre backbone, which stretches from Maputo to Swakopmund and interconnects with the Equiano subsea cable, ensuring low-latency, high-capacity redundancy between Africa and Europe. Together, the networks position Paratus as one of the few operators offering seamless, cross-continental and regional connectivity through a single provider.
Martin Cox, chief commercial officer of Paratus Group, said the G2M route is a critical step in enabling East Africa’s digital economy.
Digital highway
“This is far more than another fibre link – it’s a new digital highway for the region,” said Cox. “By creating a protected route from the coast all the way into Goma, we’re giving operators and enterprises direct, reliable access to global capacity. It dramatically improves resilience and performance, while opening new commercial opportunities across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC.
“Our strategy has always been about connecting the dots across Africa with quality, contiguous infrastructure. The G2M route strengthens everything we’ve already built in East Africa and makes Paratus the natural connectivity partner for businesses that operate across borders,” he said.
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With a population of more than 200 million people and one of the continent’s fastest-growing regional economies, East Africa is experiencing rapid expansion across sectors including fintech, manufacturing, mining, energy, agriculture and ICT. Demand for secure, enterprise-grade connectivity, cloud and managed services is accelerating accordingly.
Through its suite of solutions – including dedicated internet access, cloud, data centre services, managed networks and cybersecurity – Paratus is providing the digital foundation to support this growth and enable trade and transformation across the region.
“Digital infrastructure today is as critical as traditional trade routes were in the past. We’re building the networks that make modern commerce possible – and this new route is a key part of that future.”
About Paratus
Paratus is committed to raising the bar for providing quality connectivity in Africa. With an eye on the future, the group has invested in infrastructure and establishing itself as a key player in delivering integrated network services across the continent. Among its many and diverse achievements, the group has invested in and launched the East-to-West Africa fibre route and the express route from Africa to the rest of the world.
Paratus Group has operations in 16 African countries and employs over a thousand staff and contractors. This connects African businesses across the continent and delivers end-to-end service excellence. The group’s footprint extends beyond Africa to international points of presence in Europe, the UK and the US.
Born and bred in Africa, Paratus is thinking big as it grows its footprint to deliver Africa’s quality network. The group aims to deliver real value and services to communities across Africa, while making a positive contribution to transformation in terms of both the people and the environment.