AccessKenya targets counties

BUSINESS

By Semaj Itosno, Nairobi, Kenya

Kenya’s corporate Internet and IT Solutions provider AccessKenya Group has announced plans to connect over 20 major towns on its fast expanding fibre network by close of 2013.

To date, AccessKenya Group has connected all major towns along the western route covering Naivasha, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kericho and will soon expand to Kitale.

AccessKenya Managing Director Kris Senanu says that the Group has allocated over Sh10 Million for the remaining two quarters of 2012 towards this expansion program with the aim of creating the required hops to connect towns already on the planned coverage grid. The amount is an addition to Sh110m that was allocated towards fibre expansion in Nairobi region at the start of the year.

New office

Speaking while officially launching the company’s regional office for Rift Valley in Nakuru town (Westside Mall Kenyatta Avenue),  Senanu said the company is executing a national expansion programme so as to benefit from the devolved system of government.

“We have positioned ourselves as the next generation service provider and for us, we are strategically working to deliver specialized IT services to all counties within the next few years,” said Senanu.

Senanu said there were increased opportunities and a growing need for services beyond internet connectivity, which are driving the company’s revenues - especially from the counties.

However, he called on the government to streamline revenue allocation to the counties saying that if managed well, the county system would create massive job opportunities in the telecommunications sector, which would positively impact on the country’s economic growth.

 “We are currently exploring strategic partnerships within the telecoms industry and upgrading our redundancy levels to ensure that we have the required infrastructure to deliver these critical services,” he said.

Target clients

Meanwhile, the MD highlighted the rapid expansion of banks, multinational enterprises and other financial institutions as some of the key target clients for AccessKenya noting that such development will require specialised IT support from telecommunication service providers and for which AccessKenya is taking the lead.