What East African Cables does

East African Cables PLC is a publicly listed Kenyan manufacturer (Nairobi Securities Exchange ticker EAC), founded in 1966 and headquartered in Nairobi's Industrial Area. The company designs, produces, and sells electrical cables and conductors — including copper house-wiring cables, aluminium overhead conductors (ACSR, AAC, ABC), XLPE-insulated power cables, armoured and non-armoured distribution cables (6.6 kV and above), HFFR fire-safety sheathing, automotive harnesses, and structured cabling/data/fiber products — serving utilities, construction, automotive, and telecom customers across seven East and Central African countries (Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan). Manufacturing is concentrated in two Nairobi plants and one Dar es Salaam facility; the Tanzania subsidiary was formally absorbed into the group on 27 October 2005.

The business runs on a B2B hardware sales model, combining a regional field sales force (Nairobi, Rift Valley, Coast) with over 100 domestic distributors and six international offices; pricing is quote-based and no public list prices are disclosed. Anchor customers include Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), and government infrastructure tenders, with trade finance extended via a 2014 partnership with Jamii Bora Bank (90-120 day facilities). Brand protection is maintained through the Zinduka SMS anti-counterfeit system (Sproxil partnership, 2013). Underlying technology differentiators include first-in-sub-Saharan-Africa status for ABC, XLPE, and HFFR cable types.

The company is currently in formal administration with PwC's George Weru and Muniu Thoithi appointed as Joint Administrators; 2025 results have been delayed and the firm has reported net losses every year from 2020 to 2024, with EBITDA volatile and operating income persistently negative.

Name

East African Cables

Legal name

East African Cables PLC

Website

https://eacables.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

East African Cables PLC is a Nairobi-listed Kenyan manufacturer of electrical cables and conductors, producing power, house-wiring, armoured, automotive, and telecom cables for utilities, construction, and government customers across seven East and Central African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Cable Manufacturing

NAICS

Communication and Energy Wire and Cable Manufacturing (33592), Other Communication and Energy Wire Manufacturing (335929)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Power Cables & Conductors (LV/MV cables, flexible cables, bus wire, armored cable) (IMAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Building Wire & Cable (Residential/Commercial) (IMADAMAA), Overhead Conductors & Transmission Cable (IMADAMAH), Utility & Underground Distribution Cable (URD/Substation) (IMADAMAG), Fire-Resistant & Life-Safety Cable (Fire Alarm/Emergency) (IMADAMAF), Control, Instrumentation & Automation Cable (IMADAMAC)

Keywords

• Electrical cable manufacturing
• Power transmission cables
• Overhead conductors supply
• House wiring cables
• Armoured power cables

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cable and Conductor Sales: Manufacturing and sale of electrical cables and conductors including copper cables for domestic and industrial use, aluminium conductors for power transmission and distribution, telecommunications cables, data cables, LAN cables, and fiber optic cables.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

East African Cables manufactures and exports a comprehensive range of electrical cables and conductors, including aluminium overhead conductors for power transmission and distribution, copper house wiring cables for domestic and industrial use, armoured and non-armoured power cables for gridlines, automotive cables, and telecommunications/data/fiber optic cables. The company also produces advanced cable technologies such as Aerial Bundled Conductors (ABC), XLPE-insulated cables, and Halogen Free Fire Retardant (HFFR) cables, and offers an SMS-based anti-counterfeit authentication service (Zinduka).

Product overview

East African Cables is a total cabling solutions provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of electrical and power cables. The core product line includes Utility Cables (overhead conductors for power transmission and distribution), House Wiring Cables (copper cables for domestic and industrial applications), Armoured and Non-Armoured Cables (for power distribution across national gridlines), Automotive Cables (for harnesses, battery, and ignition), and Telecommunication Cables (including data, LAN, and fiber optic). The company has expanded into advanced cable technologies including Aerial Bundled Cables (ABC), XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) insulated cables, and Halogen Free Fire Retardant (HFFR) cables. An integrated anti-counterfeit service (Zinduka) enables product authentication via SMS verification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zinduka: Anti-counterfeit campaign using SMS-based verification system for product authentication

Products and services

• Utility Cables (Aluminium Overhead Conductors) Aluminium conductors and cables used by utilities for power transmission and distribution over national gridlines.
• House Wiring Cables Copper electrical cables and conductors for domestic as well as industrial applications.
• Armoured & Non-Armoured Power Cables Power cables for distribution of electricity throughout national gridlines from generation points to industrial complexes and towns, including medium and high voltage cables.
• Aerial Bundled Cables (ABC) Overhead power lines using several insulated phase conductors bundled tightly together with a bare neutral conductor, for safer and more efficient power distribution.
• XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) Cables Cables with XLPE insulation that carries more current for the same size compared to PVC cables and resists UV deterioration.
• Halogen Free Fire Retardant (HFFR) Cables Fire-safe cables with sheathing compounds that reduce smoke and corrosive gas emissions compared with PVC.
• Automotive Cables Cables used by vehicle manufacturers in automotive electrical harnesses, battery cables, and ignition cables.
• Telecommunication, Data and Fiber Optic Cables Cables for use in data storage, transmission and telecommunication applications, including data cables, LAN cables, and fiber optic cables.
• Zinduka Anti-Counterfeit SMS Verification Service SMS-based authentication service allowing customers to verify the authenticity of EAC cables by sending a unique code to a toll-free short code, with 24-hour call centre support.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SproxilcoreTechnology or Integration · 6 February 2013Technology partnership for the Zinduka Anti-Counterfeit Campaign. Sproxil provides SMS-based product verification technology enabling consumers to verify authenticity of EAC cables by scratching a 12-digit code and sending to toll-free short code 38353. Joint 24-hour call center established for customer queries.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• LS Cable & System: South Korean cable manufacturer with leadership in HV/EHV power cables, submarine cables, and telecom cables. Comparable product portfolio (XLPE power cables, overhead conductors) to East African Cables though at significantly larger scale.
• Prysmian Group: World's largest cable manufacturer producing power, telecom, and specialty cables globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same product category as East African Cables, but operating at vastly greater scale and global reach.
• Sumitomo Electric Industries: Japanese diversified cable and wire manufacturer with significant power and telecom cable business. Comparable as a broad incumbent producing power cables, overhead conductors, and fiber optic cables across global markets.
• Leoni AG: European cable and wiring systems specialist serving automotive, energy, and industrial customers. Comparable as a broad incumbent in cable manufacturing, though its automotive wiring focus contrasts with East African Cables' utility/building wire mix.
• Nexans: French global cable manufacturer with leading positions in power cables, submarine/underground HV cables, and building wire. Directly comparable product portfolio to East African Cables including LV/MV power cables and overhead conductors.

Direct peers

• RR Kabel: Indian cable manufacturer producing house wiring, industrial, and power cables with growing international presence. Comparable in product mix (building wire, power cables, halogen-free variants) and emerging market positioning to East African Cables.
• Polycab India: India's largest cable manufacturer producing house wiring, power, and telecom cables with emerging market distribution model. Highly comparable to East African Cables in product mix (building wire, utility cables, XLPE) and emerging-market go-to-market.
• KEI Industries: Indian cable manufacturer with strong portfolio in house wiring, power, control, and instrumentation cables. Comparable as an emerging-market peer with similar cable categories (PVC/XLPE house wire, HV cables) and infrastructure customer base.
• Finolex Cables: Indian manufacturer of electrical and telecom cables with strong building wire franchise. Comparable as an emerging-market cable peer focused on house wiring, power cables, and telecom cables for similar utility and construction customers.

Regional players

• CMI Limited (South Africa): South African cable and conductor manufacturer serving African utilities and infrastructure markets. Closest geographic and product peer to East African Cables, operating in the broader African cable market though primarily based in southern Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeeacables.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102&Itemid=165
• Xx.com/eacables

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about East African Cables