Umoja, which means “unity” in Swahili, signifies a new era of digital connectivity for the continent.

The cable stretches from Kenya, traversing Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe before reaching South Africa.

It will then connect to the Google Cloud region and continue its journey to Australia via the Indian Ocean.

Notably, the terrestrial portion of Umoja was built collaboratively with Liquid Technologies and is designed to provide access points for other countries to join the network.

This innovative project is part of Google’s broader Africa Connect initiative, which also includes Equiano, the company’s subsea cable launched in 2019 to connect Africa and Europe.

Google’s focus on creating a separate route highlights the importance of network resilience.

The African continent has faced challenges due to past disruptions to subsea cables, and Umoja aims to provide a more robust connection.

“Umoja represents a significant investment in Kenya, Africa, and Australia,” said Kenyan President William Ruto.

“This project will significantly improve global and regional digital infrastructure, ensuring redundancy and resilience in our connectivity to the world.”

The announcement comes after recent internet outages in Africa caused by subsea cable damage. In March and May of 2024, disruptions plagued East African countries due to failures in critical subsea connections.

Umoja represents a significant step towards a more connected Africa.

This continent-spanning cable, coupled with Google’s commitment to collaboration, has the potential to unlock new possibilities for economic growth, innovation, and digital inclusion across the region.