In a historic move set to transform digital connectivity across East Africa, Ethio Telecom, Djibouti Telecom, and Sudatel Group yesterday signed a tripartite agreement under the Horizon Fiber Initiative, establishing a high-capacity, cross-border optical fiber corridor linking Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
The project creates a resilient terrestrial route connecting international submarine cable landing stations, providing a secure and scalable digital pathway that integrates East Africa into global networks. According to the operators, the initiative will significantly enhance bandwidth capacity, strengthen network reliability, and support the growing demand for cloud services, fintech solutions, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and other digital applications.
Speaking at the signing, the CEOs of the three companies described the initiative as a major step in regional cooperation and digital transformation. They said the Horizon Fiber project would deliver low-latency, carrier-grade connectivity while leveraging the complementary infrastructure and technical expertise of each operator to provide reliable services for enterprises, content providers, and hyperscale platforms.
For Ethio Telecom, the fiber project forms a core part of its Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 strategy, aimed at positioning the company as a regional digital infrastructure leader. The project reinforces Ethiopia’s role as a strategic digital transit hub, supporting advanced digital services such as cloud computing, data centres, enterprise solutions, and cross-border digital trade.
The agreement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Addis Ababa on December 3, 2024, and marks the culmination of collaborative planning and technical design between the three operators. Analysts say the initiative represents a pioneering Africa-to-Africa connectivity project, linking the Red Sea through three countries and laying the foundation for a future-ready digital infrastructure.
The Horizon Fiber Initiative is expected to play a key role in accelerating economic growth, improving digital inclusion, and creating a robust communications backbone that can support East Africa’s integration into the global digital economy. Observers also note that the project provides a model for how African operators can jointly address connectivity challenges while driving regional digital transformation.
