While most internet companies chase expensive fiber-to-the-home installations, Poa Internet has been quietly building something different in Kenya’s neighborhoods.
The Nairobi-based startup has secured $4 million in debt funding from Finland’s Finnfund, with Nokia as a technology partner, to expand their street WiFi network that’s already captured 238,000 customers and a 13.8% market share.
Founded in 2015, Poa Internet took an unorthodox approach to Kenya’s internet market. Instead of competing directly with telco giants like Safaricom on expensive fiber installations, they built a street WiFi network serving entire neighborhoods from strategically placed access points.
The strategy has proven to be surprisingly effective. Poa Internet currently operates across major cities, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru, and Kisumu, becoming Kenya’s fourth-largest internet service provider by the second quarter of 2024/2025.
Of course, what makes their growth impressive is the pricing. At KES 450 per week or KES 1,570 monthly for unlimited home WiFi, Poa Internet’s service costs roughly what many Kenyans spend on mobile data in days, not months.
CEO Andy Halsall clarifies that despite the funding, geographic expansion isn’t the immediate priority.
“We already provide service over much of Nairobi and surrounding areas such as Kiambu, Ngong, Kitengela, and Athi River. We also operate in Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru,” he explained in an exclusive interview with Techweez. “Our focus will be adding more customers in those areas for now rather than expanding into new territories.”
Nearly all the $4 million will go toward customer equipment and technology deployment rather than new market entry. This measured design contrasts with the typical telecom land-grab mentality, focusing on deepening penetration in existing markets.
More importantly, Halsall emphasizes they’re targeting urban communities, not rural areas as often reported. “We are focused on providing Internet to urban communities rather than rural areas.”
The funding arrangement began during Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s visit to Poa Internet in May 2024. Finnfund, Finland’s development finance institution, saw an opportunity to support digital inclusion while strengthening Finland-Kenya relationships. The deal also receives backing from the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative.
Despite being home to one of Africa’s most dynamic digital economies, internet penetration in Kenya hovers around 40%, with high-speed broadband concentrated in urban centers. Cost, infrastructure gaps, and accessibility still remain major barriers.
Poa Internet isn’t trying to outmuscle Safaricom’s premium Safaricom Home service or other established players like Faiba and Zuku. Instead, they’re carving out the underserved space between expensive fiber and limited mobile data plans.
“We aim to offer a great service at the best price,” Halsall said about competition. “The funding we have raised will help us to provide our unlimited internet to more customers, but also ensure that our pricing and service stays ahead of the competition.”
Poa’s success from startup to fourth-largest ISP in less than a decade suggests they’ve identified something important about Kenya’s internet needs.
Now that they have $4 million in fresh funding and Nokia’s technical backing, they are well positioned to test whether street WiFi can scale from a neighborhood solution to national infrastructure, serving customers that traditional telecom models often leave behind.