More than $164 million has also been allocated to Burundi and Madagascar as a part of the first phase of the program. Other eligible countries in the region will join future phases of the program on a "readiness basis."

By the end of the project, the bank said, major cities across the region will be linked to competitively priced broadband. The lower prices of the international connectivity are expected to decrease the cost of doing business and increase private sector investment opportunities in the region.