NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenyan government is considering charging users for access to public Wi-Fi hotspots, aiming to keep the sprawling network sustainable.
Despite establishing more than 3,000 hotspots nationwide, many are currently offline or unreliable. The Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary, William Kabogo, explained that sustainability was not fully factored into the original design.
“We need 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots,” Kabogo said. “Right now, about 3,000 are working. Others have stopped because the project did not include a plan to maintain them long term.”
To tackle this, the ministry is exploring small user fees to support upkeep and provide jobs for young people tasked with running the hotspots.
“If 20 or 30 people pay five shillings each, that creates employment for a young person who can manage and monitor the service through the ICT Authority,” Kabogo said.
Alongside Wi-Fi access, the government plans to accelerate the rollout of fibre optic cables crucial for boosting internet speeds and connectivity across Kenya. The target is ambitious: 100,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable, though only 15,000 km have been laid so far.
Kabogo blamed the slow progress on high costs and bureaucratic hurdles but said the government is pursuing public-private partnerships to bring in investors.
“This infrastructure is expensive many countries would struggle with this scale,” he noted. “We want to open the space for private companies to join us and invest.”
The plan also includes setting up 1,450 constituency digital hubs by 2027. These will be linked with the Constituency Development Fund to improve access to digital services in rural and underserved areas.
Digital experts say charging a small fee could help maintain service quality, but warn that affordability must be balanced against accessibility.
Dr. Annette Mwangi, a technology analyst based in Nairobi, commented: “Introducing fees might ensure reliability, but the government needs to make sure that vulnerable groups are not left behind. Free public Wi-Fi has huge social benefits.”
Community leaders have welcomed the expansion of digital hubs but urge clear communication and transparency as the government moves forward.
For many Kenyans, reliable internet access remains a gateway to education, business, and essential services. The government’s challenge now is to maintain that connection without leaving people offline.
