The Kigoma-Kalemie submarine fiber optic cable is a critical regional infrastructure project under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) PAP 2 (2021-2030). The project is implemented by Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL) on behalf of the Government of Tanzania, in partnership with the DRC through the Societe Congolaise de Fibre Optique (SOCOF) and the Societe Congolaise des Postes et Telecommunications (SCPT). As of October 2025, the project is in advanced pre-construction preparation. On April 9, 2025, Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa confirmed to parliament that the government has begun implementation steps for the 186 km cable. Procurement processes for the cable construction were reported as underway as of early 2025. On October 20, 2025, senior delegations from Tanzania (led by TTCL Director General Moremi Marwa and ICT Infrastructure Director Leo Magomba) and DRC (led by SOCOF Director General Prosper Ghislain Mpeye) met at TTCL headquarters in Dar es Salaam to review final preparations. Construction is targeted to begin in early 2026, pending environmental approval, with full operations targeted for late 2027. The project's estimated cost is between USD 15 million and USD 20 million. A significant parallel development occurred in March 2025 when BCS Group completed a separate 400 km submarine cable within Lake Tanganyika connecting Uvira to Kalemie on the DRC side, which enhances the DRC's internal connectivity readiness. The two countries have committed to quarterly reviews to accelerate timelines and mitigate funding risks. The project is covered by a confidentiality agreement signed in February 2023. Once operational, the cable will connect the DRC to Tanzania's NICTBB and, by extension, to multiple international submarine cable landing stations on Tanzania's coast, dramatically improving bandwidth and reducing costs for eastern DRC.
The project involves the construction of a submarine optical fiber cable across Lake Tanganyika, connecting Kigoma in Tanzania to Kalemie in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The cable is 186 km in length and will be deployed at lake depths reaching up to 1,470 meters. It will use G652D standard single-mode optical fiber with an initial capacity of 100 Gbps, expandable to several terabits per second using OTN over DWDM overlay technology. The primary component is the lake-bed cable, which will extend the existing Tanzania National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) into eastern DRC. The NICTBB, managed by Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL) on behalf of the Government of Tanzania, already spans approximately 7,910 km and connects Tanzania to six neighboring countries: Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The project also includes establishing Points of Presence (PoPs) on both sides to facilitate interconnection and service delivery. The cable design incorporates specialized burial techniques and environmental safeguards to address seismic risks along the East African Rift. Joint environmental studies by TTCL and the Societe Congolaise des Postes et Telecommunications (SCPT) are being conducted to ensure compliance with the Ramsar Convention protecting Lake Tanganyika's biodiversity. This infrastructure is critical for digital integration within the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), providing a direct, high-capacity link that bypasses challenging overland routes. The project is recognized under the AUDA-NEPAD 2nd PIDA Priority Action Plan (2021-2030) as a key link for digital integration in East and Southern Africa.
The government of Tanzania constructed a National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) connecting all Regions in Tanzania and cross boarder connectivity to Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The NICTBB has a total length of 7,910Km. The aim of NICTBB is to provide connectivity to all neighboring countries. Now the government is planning to connect with DRC by construction of optical fiber cable. The ideal of connection is between Kigoma in Tanzania and Kalemie in DRC, where the submarine optical fiber cable will be constructed. To achieve direct cross border link across lake Tanganyika, it will requires understanding of lake Tanganyika's bottom terrain and hydrology, landscape of beach sides, assessment of risks for marine activity and analysis of environmental factors for an in-depth design. The process will need to involve desk study, preliminary system design, route survey then detailed system design, which will determine the requirements for its implementation and operation. However, for generic understanding of requirements, we have identified possible locations of cable landing points along the shores of lake Tanganyika. The direct water distances between the two points is approximate to 150km with 1,470m considered as possible maximum depth of lake Tanganyika. Therefore considering that the cable will need to be layed down at the bottom of the lake, about 200km of submarine OFC could be needed for laying between the two points.
1. Physically connect the DRC to the Tanzania NICTBB via a 186 km submarine cable across Lake Tanganyika, linking Kigoma (Tanzania) to Kalemie (DRC). 2. Enable a direct, high-speed digital connection between Tanzania and DRC at an initial capacity of 100 Gbps, expandable to terabits per second, reducing latency and reliance on satellite or terrestrial routes through other countries. 3. Improve regional connectivity and reduce the digital divide in eastern DRC by providing access to international submarine cable systems via Tanzania, including SEACOM and EASSy. 4. Support economic integration and cross-border trade between Tanzania and DRC by enabling reliable digital services, with fiber deployment expected to cut bandwidth costs by approximately 50% for the DRC. 5. Enhance service delivery including e-government, education, health, e-commerce, and digital finance for communities in the lake region, including an estimated 7 million people in South Kivu province and 3.7 million in the Lake Tanganyika region. 6. Foster regional cooperation under the frameworks of EAC and ECCAS by implementing a PIDA PAP 2 priority project. 7. Strengthen Tanzania's role as East Africa's digital gateway by enabling bandwidth leasing and completing an East-West fiber corridor across the continent. 8. Ensure environmental compliance with the Ramsar Convention protecting Lake Tanganyika's biodiversity through joint environmental studies between TTCL and SCPT.
Original PIDA PAP 2 submission - Objective and Rationale
Main objective is to provide direct OFC connectivity between Tanzania and DRC.