Kenya: Airtel Kenya Expands Fibre Rollout, Targets Apartment Blocks to Challenge Safaricom

Airtel Kenya has launched a commercial rollout of its Xtreme Fibre service, expanding beyond pilot phases into key urban areas, including Nairobi, as it seeks to compete more directly in the country’s fixed broadband market.

The move positions Airtel against market leader Safaricom, which currently dominates the segment. Early deployment has already connected more than 400 buildings in Nairobi, with the company waiving installation fees for both residential and business users to reduce switching barriers.

Airtel’s strategy centres on a fibre-to-the-building model, where a single fibre connection serves entire apartment complexes, rather than the fibre-to-the-home approach widely used by incumbents. This model enables faster deployment and lower rollout costs, though it places greater reliance on in-building infrastructure for last-mile connectivity.

The operator is also leveraging competitive pricing to attract users, offering plans below prevailing market rates in a bid to gain traction in high-density residential areas. By focusing on multi-dwelling units, Airtel aims to achieve scale more efficiently compared to individual household installations.

Despite this push, the fixed broadband market remains highly competitive. Safaricom leads with a 34.9 per cent market share, followed by Jamii Telecommunications and Wananchi Group, while other providers such as Poa Internet and Ahadi Wireless maintain notable positions. Airtel is yet to rank among the top providers, meaning its growth will depend largely on capturing market share from existing players.

In parallel, the company is refining its wireless broadband offering following user concerns about indoor 5G performance. Airtel is now deploying an outdoor receiver paired with an indoor router—provided at no upfront cost—to improve connectivity in areas where fibre infrastructure is still limited.

While the strategy signals a more aggressive expansion into fixed broadband, scaling beyond initial deployments will depend on resolving last-mile challenges and securing agreements with property owners—areas where established competitors currently hold an advantage.