Mawingu piles pressure on Safaricom and Zuku

Mawingu, a Kenyan-based internet service provider, is expanding its reach after securing $9 million in funding. The company, which currently operates in more than 15 counties in Kenya, serving a customer base of 7,500, aims to double its customer base to 14,000 in the near future.

According to Mawingu CEO Farouk Ramj, the firm's strategy is to focus on rural counties, such as Wajir, Marsabit, and Voi, due to the growing demand for affordable, high-quality internet. The company's ultimate goal is to have a presence in 40 counties and ensure that rural Kenyans have last-mile internet connectivity.

This expansion drive is putting pressure on the market leaders in the country, as internet access becomes a necessity. The latest data from the Communications Authority shows that Safaricom has a 35.6% market share, followed by Zuku-owned Wananchi at 25.5%, and Jamii Telecommunications at 18.9%.

In response to the growing demand for internet services, internet providers in Kenya are investing heavily in expanding their reach to connect more homes. While the established players are relying on their existing infrastructure, Mawingu is counteracting them with its pricing, offering 10 Mbps for less than Sh2,000 per month, compared to the Sh2,900 and Sh3,000 charged by Zuku and Safaricom, respectively.

While Kenya has fast internet speeds, it lags behind its peers in terms of pricing. According to a report by the technology think tank, Research ICT Africa, Tanzania has the lowest internet pricing in East Africa, followed by Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi. Kenya, however, ranks 23rd globally in terms of internet speed, with an average connection speed of 15 Mbps, higher than Israel, Qatar, South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria.