Nairobi — Rural internet service provider (ISP) Mawingu is expanding its internet coverage to an additional 25 counties as it seeks to provide affordable internet to more Kenyans.

The extra 25 counties will increase its countrywide base to 47 devolved units from the current 22.

The expansion comes after the company raised Sh1.12 billion in funding from international investors in February.

"With the reception of the KSh 1.12 Billion funding in February, we have begun to expedite Mawingu's mid-term growth strategy of expanding our connectivity to 25 additional counties across Kenya this year," Mawingu Chief Executive Officer Farouk RAMJI said.

In the past four months, the firm has connected towns that have previously been neglected by big players in counties such as Kilifi, Kwale, Uasin Gishu, Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisii, and Migori.

The Internet service provider has now cumulatively connected 22 counties to its network, serving over 9,500 homes and businesses.

"We have now connected an additional 2,000 homes and businesses across 7 new counties to our network," RAMJI said.

"These customers consume an average 8GB of data daily, which could easily translate to anything between KSh 20,000 to KSh 30,000 monthly for a 240GB data bundle on a conventional 4G network," he added.

"However, Mawingu customers get to access unlimited meaningful Internet for only KSh 2,500 monthly."

Mawingu is a rural ISP founded in 2012 below the foothills of Mount Kenya in Nanyuki.

It has connected more than 9,500 homes and businesses, as well as 300,000 hotspot users across the country.