Somalia aims for unified fibre optic policy to boost digital economy despite challenges

Currently, Somalia’s fibre optic network is underdeveloped and fragmented, limiting broadband access and market competition.

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The Somali government is developing a unified fibre optic deployment policy to streamline the installation and expansion of fibre optic infrastructure across the country. That initiative aims to foster collaboration among national telecommunications companies, reduce deployment costs, and support the growth of the digital economy.

Moreover, the policy seeks to improve national interconnection and enhance the efficiency of infrastructure expansion. However, the fibre optic network in Somalia remains underdeveloped and fragmented, with only isolated segments deployed by sub-regional operators.

Despite being connected to five international submarine cables, weak cross-border connections and the lack of a robust national network backbone limit the distribution of global capacity. As a result, uneven broadband access, poor network quality, and suppressed market competition significantly hinder equitable digital development.

While implementing the policy could improve the quality and coverage of internet services in Somalia, several challenges remain. These include, for example, limited access to affordable broadband-compatible devices, a lack of attractive data-driven services, insufficient local content, and a digital skills gap.

Consequently, these barriers contribute to the country’s low internet penetration rate of only 27.6% in early 2024. Therefore, addressing these challenges is crucial to ensuring more equitable access to digital resources and enabling the growth of Somalia’s digital economy.