Global technology advisory firm Access Partnership and Nairobi-based AfriTrade Consulting have formed a regulatory alliance to speed up the licensing and deployment of digital infrastructure across Kenya and the wider East African region, as investment in satellite connectivity, subsea cables and data centres gathers pace.
The partnership will provide operators, investors and governments with end-to-end regulatory support, addressing licensing hurdles that can delay infrastructure projects across multiple jurisdictions.
The alliance comes as Kenya prepares to land two new international subsea cables before 2027, introduce direct-to-device satellite connectivity and develop the LuLu coastal submarine cable between Mombasa and Lamu by 2028.
A proposed $1.5 billion AI data centre in Mombasa also highlights the scale of planned investment in the country’s digital infrastructure.
Complex spectrum rights, cable landing permissions and multi-jurisdictional licensing remain key obstacles for infrastructure investors and technology operators across the region.
The alliance combines Access Partnership’s expertise in international spectrum policy and space advisory services with AfriTrade’s local regulatory experience.
The latter includes advising on Kenya’s Special Economic Zones and laying the groundwork for the 500km LuLu coastal submarine cable system. Legal support will be provided by AfriTrade’s sister firm, S&S Advocates.
The partners will initially focus on regulatory services covering satellite gateways, ground station authorisations, subsea cable landing rights and data centre approvals in Kenya and the wider East African market. They plan to expand their services to include AI governance and digital government frameworks.
Dr Caroline Saroni, CEO of AfriTrade Consulting Group, said the region’s growing importance as a digital gateway made local regulatory knowledge and international technology expertise increasingly valuable to investors.
“East Africa is becoming one of the world’s most important digital gateways, by sea and by sky,” she said, adding that the alliance would help accelerate the rollout of new connectivity infrastructure.
Andy Robb, chief space officer at Access Partnership, added: “East Africa has the geography, the demand, and the policy ambition to become one of the most important frontier technology markets of the next decade.
“What operators and investors need is a partner who can take them from strategy to licensed operation without losing a year in between. AfriTrade knows how things actually get done in Kenya and across the region.
"Together, we can get new satellite, connectivity, and digital infrastructure into the market faster, and make sure the benefits land locally.”
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