Safaricom has confirmed that Meta is developing a subsea cable linking Kenya to Oman.

News that the companies were planning to link Salalah in Oman to Mombasa in Kenya first surfaced in September. The 4,110km (2,553 miles) Daraja cable will run from Salalah in Oman to Mombasa in Kenya. Reports suggest it will offer 24 fiber pairs.

This week, Safaricom confirmed the plans, naming itself as the project’s Kenyan landing partner.

Through its subsidiary, Edge Network Services Limited, Meta has signed Safaricom as a landing partner to the new high-capacity submarine cable connecting Oman and Kenya.

“This deal is a significant strategic milestone for us at Safaricom as we mark 25 years and signals our readiness to transition into a fully-fledged tech company in line with our vision 2030 strategy. It positions us to meet the surging demand for high-capacity, low-latency connectivity, which is critical for powering economic growth, cloud adoption, and digital innovation,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.

The cable system will be fully funded by Meta, with locally licensed operators in Kenya and Oman contracted to operate the cable segment within territorial waters, as well as all associated in-country infrastructure. Local reports suggest the project will total at least $23 million. The cable is set to go live next year.

Daraja is Swahili for bridge. Details on Safaricom's cable landing station plans weren't shared.

Safaricom was formed in 1997 as a fully owned subsidiary of Telkom Kenya. Vodafone took a 40 percent stake and management responsibility for the company in 2000 - passing 35 percent to Vodacom in 2017 and retaining a 5 percent stake. The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed company also counts the Kenyan Government as an investor.

Mombasa is the landing point for seven current and in-development cables, while Salalah on Oman’s southern coast is host to five current and upcoming systems. The two cities are already linked by Meta’s giant 2Africa Cable, which circles the entire African continent and features an eastern expansion to the Persian Gulf and India.

Ooreedoo and Omantel operate cable landing stations in Salalah. The TEAMS, EASSy, LION2, and Peace landing stations are hosted and managed by Telkom Kenya, with at least one in Nyali. Seacom also operates a landing station for its cable.

Safaricom is not part of any subsea cable consortiums, but Vodafone or Vodacom are part of the 2Africa and Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) consortiums. In Oman, Vodafone is part of the Bay of Bengal Gateway (BBG), Europe India Gateway (EIG), and OMRAN/EPEG consortia.

Meta has developed more than 20 subsea cables, many in partnership with local telcos.

Reports that Safaricom was looking to develop its own cable surfaced earlier this year.