DIGITAL (64)
DR Congo's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications signed a memorandum of understanding with Unicom Airnet, a subsidiary of state-owned operator China Unicom, on April 7, 2026, in China, for the construction of a telecommunications satellite. According to an official statement, the agreement aims to "support digital sovereignty and improve national connectivity."
For similar objectives, the Democratic Republic of Congo had already signed a memorandum of understanding with Monacosat in November 2024. In September 2025, a representative of the Monaco-based operator, Jean-Philippe Anvam, was received in Kinshasa by President Félix Tshisekedi. At that meeting, officials said the satellite project was valued at $400 million. "The funds are available through a partner bank," Anvam said at the time.
No final contract has been disclosed so far, leaving its implementation uncertain.
In this context, the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Unicom Airnet adds a new dimension. Such agreements are generally non-binding frameworks that allow parties to define the technical and financial parameters of a project without committing to execution.
The Chinese group has strong industrial capabilities in telecommunications. Unicom Airnet describes itself as a satellite services platform backed by China Unicom, one of China's three major state-owned operators.
Congolese authorities have not specified whether this Chinese track replaces, complements or competes with the project led by Monacosat. The lack of official clarification creates uncertainty over the program’s direction, which is part of a broader digital sovereignty strategy.
The government is seeking to reduce dependence on foreign infrastructure by developing its own satellite capabilities, as connectivity needs grow rapidly.
Pierre Mukoko
Telecom tower operator Helios Towers on Tuesday announced a $100 million expansion program to extend its network coverage in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aiming to improve access to telecommunications services, particularly in underserved areas.
The National Investment Promotion Agency (ANAPI) is backing the program under an agreement signed with Helios Towers DRC. The agency said it supports investment through an integrated framework covering all stages of a project, from design to implementation.
According to ANAPI, the expansion will span 23 provinces, including Kinshasa, Haut-Katanga, Kongo Central, Maniema, Ituri, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Lualaba, Tanganyika, Equateur, Haut-Uele and Kasai.
Improving coverage and service adoption
The move comes as authorities seek to expand network coverage and boost telecom service adoption as part of their digital transformation agenda. In 2024, 2G, 3G and 4G networks covered 75%, 55% and 45% of the population respectively, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Mobile penetration stood at 44.3%, compared with 19.7% for internet use.
The company did not disclose detailed figures for the investment. Helios Towers operates by building, acquiring and managing shared telecom towers that host multiple operators. It provides passive infrastructure and energy services, including site acquisition, construction, maintenance, security and power management.
“Our infrastructure-sharing model helps MNOs expand and densify networks more quickly and at lower cost, while reducing emissions - accelerating digital inclusion for millions of people,” the company says on its website.
Expanding network coverage can drive adoption by improving both access and service quality. Extending infrastructure into rural and underserved areas enables first-time access to voice and internet services, while densifying networks in existing areas reduces congestion and improves reliability.
A model at the core of public strategy
The model is also supported by Congolese authorities and sits at the centre of the Universal Service Development Fund’s (FDSU) 2026-2035 strategy. Known as “TowerCo Lead,” the approach promotes tower companies that finance and deploy passive infrastructure — including towers, energy and backhaul — on an open-access basis. Mobile operators then install active equipment to deliver services. The goal is to connect nearly 68 million people, mainly in rural areas.
Authorities favour this approach for its economic efficiency, given the scale of the digital divide. According to the GSMA, the DRC has one of the world’s largest coverage gaps: 46% of the population lacks mobile broadband access, while 25% have no mobile coverage at all, including 2G.
The GSMA notes that expanding into so-called “white zones” requires sharply higher investment. Increasing coverage from 75% to 80% of the population requires about 150 new sites. Reaching 95% would require nearly 5,700 sites, while moving from 98% to 99% would need more than 2,000 additional sites. This makes extending coverage to remote areas particularly costly due to low population density.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s digital economy minister has introduced a new regulatory framework for certain digital activities and services in the country.
In an order signed on March 11, 2026, Digital Economy Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba outlined the procedures for reviewing applications and granting authorizations for activities requiring prior approval under the Digital Code.
The order provides a transitional period until June 30, 2026, for affected operators to comply with the new requirements. From July 1, 2026, the provisions will take full effect.
The measure does not apply to all digital operators. It covers only activities and services that require authorization.
Affected entities include operators building data centers; qualified trust service providers (including electronic signatures, seals, timestamping, archiving, certification, website authentication, electronic registered mail and cryptology); application hosting providers; certain large digital platforms such as cloud services, online marketplaces, app stores, social networks, content-sharing platforms, online banking platforms, fintech firms, matchmaking platforms and search engines; as well as essential digital services.
During the transition period, responsibility for processing authorization applications has been assigned to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Congo (ARPTC). The regulator will verify the completeness and compliance of application files, assess applicants’ legal, technical, organizational and financial capacity, and issue a recommendation to the minister, who retains final decision-making authority.
Authorizations valid for five years
To obtain authorization, applicants must submit a file including legal, tax, technical and administrative documents, a detailed description of the relevant activities, and a business plan.
Authorizations are valid for five years and may be renewed. They do not exempt holders from complying with other applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
The order also includes administrative sanctions in cases of non-compliance, including fines, reduced validity periods, suspension or withdrawal of authorization. Operating without the required authorization may also expose operators to penalties under existing legislation.
Through this order, the government aims to implement the Digital Code and tighten oversight of segments of Congo’s digital economy deemed strategic or sensitive.
The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARMP) published a decision on March 4, 2026, concerning the contract for the acquisition and installation of equipment to digitize payments for the Infrastructure Development Tax, known as the Go-Pass. According to the document, the contract was awarded to Mayeles SAS for a total amount of $4.069 million including tax. The decision was signed on March 2, 2026 by Blaise Londole Lokoy, Director General of the Régie des Voies Aériennes (RVA), the state-owned company that manages airports in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The award remains provisional. Under Congolese public procurement rules, unsuccessful bidders have five business days to file an appeal. If no appeal is submitted, or once any challenges are reviewed, the award may become final and the contract can be signed.
The project stems from an international tender launched by the RVA on September 23, 2025, for the supply of machinery, hardware and software to digitize the collection of the airport tax. The initiative aims to replace the current collection system, which relies on paper coupons issued to passengers after payment.
Addressing systemic revenue leakage
The manual system has frequently been criticized for control failures. These include booklets with identical serial numbers in circulation, parallel coupon issuance channels, and persistent difficulties in tracking the total revenue generated by the tax.
During the Makutano Forum in November 2025, Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba said two banks had submitted offers to finance the digitalization project. He presented the reform as a way to secure Go-Pass revenue by allowing passengers to pay electronically and obtain a QR code for airport inspections.
Under the planned system, electronic gates will allow travelers to scan their QR codes before accessing boarding areas. The mechanism is intended to ensure direct tracking of payments by the RVA.
Official documents do not provide detailed information about Mayeles SAS. However, public business registries indicate that a company with the same name, established in 2019 and registered in Créteil, France, has been listed as dissolved since July 8, 2025. That entity operated in the rental and leasing of personal and household goods. These details relate to the French-registered company and do not rule out the existence of other companies using the same name in other jurisdictions.
Authorities have not disclosed how many airports will be covered by the contract awarded to Mayeles SAS. The transport minister previously indicated that the digital Go-Pass system would first be deployed at the country’s international airports.
Timothée Manoke
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is among six African countries selected for pilot projects aimed at developing affordable 4G smartphones. The initiative is led by the GSMA, the global association representing mobile network operators and industry players, and organizer of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.
Announced during MWC 2026, the project also involves Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. These countries will serve as test markets for entry-level smartphones priced between $30 and $40, with the aim of reducing one of the main barriers to digital adoption in Africa: the cost of devices.
The initiative was discussed during a roundtable held on March 2 at MWC 2026. The Congolese Minister of Digital Economy, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, said he attended the meeting. According to a statement from the ministry, the GSMA is advocating for a coalition of governments, telecom operators and manufacturers to lower smartphone prices.
The ministry also mentioned a proposal to reduce taxes on entry-level smartphones, potentially shifting part of the tax burden toward higher-end devices.
Bridging the digital gap
According to the Regulatory Authority of the Post and Telecommunications of Congo (ARPTC), mobile penetration in the DRC reached about 65% at the end of September 2025, while mobile internet penetration stood at just over 32%. The gap suggests that network coverage is expanding faster than smartphone adoption, largely due to low purchasing power.
The Minister of Digital Economy said lower device prices could expand the user base, boost data consumption and ultimately increase revenue from digital services.
ARPTC data show that mobile internet is gaining weight in the telecom sector. In the third quarter of 2025, the segment generated more than $335 million and accounted for nearly 55% of total mobile market revenue.
However, the initiative’s impact remains uncertain. Its success will depend on several factors, including the level of taxes applied to devices, manufacturers’ ability to meet price targets amid rising component costs, and the speed of commercial rollout in pilot countries.
Augustin Kibassa Maliba said the government plans to work with relevant ministries and telecom operators to develop a balanced fiscal framework aimed at expanding digital access without reducing government revenue.
For the DRC, the challenge will now be to translate its inclusion in the African pilot program into concrete measures on pricing, distribution and effective access to mobile internet.
Timothée Manoke
State Minister and Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa Atondoko Andali has called on judicial authorities to ensure effective prosecution of offenses committed online.
In a statement dated March 3, 2026, the ministry said Congolese cyberspace is fully subject to national law and cannot be a lawless zone.
The document said the use of digital platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, X and WhatsApp must comply strictly with the laws of the Republic, particularly the Digital Code and the Penal Code.
While noting that freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution, protects criticism and public debate, including when they are “lively or controversial,” the communiqué stressed that this freedom does not extend to acts that constitute criminal offenses or abuse the rights of others, threaten public order, or undermine human dignity.
The minister instructed prosecutors general at the courts of appeal, public prosecutors and senior auditors of military jurisdictions to ensure that digital offenses are effectively prosecuted. He said any action must be based on a clear legal foundation, be legally justified and remain strictly proportionate to the alleged facts. Measures taken must also respect the right to a fair trial and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s international human rights obligations.
The communiqué listed criminal offenses including defamation, spreading false information, harassment, threats, insults, incitement to hatred, and violations of privacy and human dignity.
It also said that, when legal requirements are met, authorities may order the removal, blocking or suspension of clearly illegal content. Such measures must remain subject to judicial oversight and must not infringe fundamental freedoms.
Judicial authorities were also urged to activate international cooperation mechanisms when alleged perpetrators are outside national territory, in accordance with conventions ratified by the DRC. They were further asked to ensure effective protection of victims by conducting investigations promptly, guaranteeing confidentiality where required and preventing further victimization.
The statement comes as President Félix Tshisekedi recently called for stronger oversight of social networks, including better public awareness of laws governing the digital space.
Boaz Kabeya
DR Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has instructed the government to tighten regulation of social media platforms to curb abuses, according to a statement issued after a cabinet meeting.
The directive was announced at the 80th ordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Feb. 27 in Kinshasa.
Tshisekedi tasked the justice minister and the minister of digital economy with proposing and implementing measures to promote responsible and ethical use of social media, in consultation with relevant agencies.
The measures could include, if necessary, “proportionate restrictive measures in accordance with the law, while respecting fundamental freedoms,” according to cabinet minutes read by Digital Economy Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba.
The move comes as internet and social media use continues to expand in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to DataReportal, the number of internet users rose from 21.14 million in 2021 to 34.7 million at the start of 2026, an increase of 64.1%, bringing penetration to an estimated 30.5%. Over the same period, social media users increased from 4 million to 10.4 million.
Authorities say that, rather than serving exclusively positive purposes, social media platforms are increasingly being used to spread disinformation, fuel public disorder, promote hate speech, manipulate opinion and incite division, undermining national cohesion and social stability.
The decision also comes amid persistent security challenges in several provinces, with security issues among the most debated topics online.
Raise awareness and enforce the Digital Code
Central to the president’s message is the need to strengthen awareness and enforcement of the Digital Code, adopted to regulate the use of digital platforms in the country. Tshisekedi said the law already provides mechanisms to prevent, regulate and punish online abuses, but is not widely known or consistently enforced.
The communication and media minister has been tasked, in coordination with public and private operators, with running ongoing public awareness campaigns. Magistrates will also be targeted under the supervision of the Superior Council of the Judiciary to ensure consistent and deterrent enforcement.
Beyond regulation, the government is turning to education. The ministries of national and higher education have been instructed to gradually introduce modules on digital responsibility into school curricula. Training programs are also expected to address issues related to social media and artificial intelligence.
Relevant ministers must submit a detailed report every 15 days outlining actions taken, results achieved and any challenges encountered to allow for monitoring and evaluation. Details of how the measures will be implemented remain unclear.
Isaac K. Kassouwi, with Ecofin Agency
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon have signed an agreement to develop mobile roaming services between the two countries.
The memorandum of understanding was signed on Feb. 19, 2026, on the sidelines of the 10th ordinary session of the regulators’ conference held in Kinshasa, according to the Congolese Press Agency (ACP).
The agreement aims to allow users to make calls, send text messages and use mobile data in the other country through a partner network without changing their phone numbers.
Christian Katende, head of Congo’s Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ARPTC), said the cooperation is intended to improve user mobility and lower the cost of cross-border communications, with the goal of strengthening connectivity between the two countries, ACP reported.
The protocol was initialed by the heads of the two regulatory bodies, ARPTC for Congo and ARCEP for Gabon, according to Congolese media reports.
No timeline has been announced for implementation. Lower-cost roaming typically requires technical coordination and pricing agreements between operators, including reduced roaming fees or harmonized tariffs, depending on the terms negotiated.
The initiative comes amid a broader regional push. In Central Africa, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) relaunched efforts in March 2025 to introduce free roaming, meaning services without extra charges, and called for obstacles to its implementation to be removed, though timelines and modalities vary by country and operator.
Ronsard Luabeya
Mobile networks operated by Vodacom, Orange and Airtel were restored overnight between Feb. 16 and 17, 2026, in Nyiragongo, Rutshuru, Lubero, Masisi and Walikale in North Kivu after nearly a month of disruption, several sources said. Subscribers can now make calls, send messages and access the internet in those areas.
The restoration comes as pro-rebel media report that the de facto administration set up by AFC/M23 has in recent days sought to introduce a new telecom operator in areas under its control. The rebels had accused Kinshasa of being behind the prolonged outage.
Authorities have not yet commented on the exact causes of the disruptions, which lasted nearly a month. On Jan. 26, 2026, Vodacom Congo said its technical center in Goma had been broken into, leading to a loss of network supervision and control in the area.
For several months, Congolese authorities have warned about the deteriorating quality of telecommunications services nationwide. In mid-January, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Congo, or ARPTC, attributed the disruptions to a fault on the WACS undersea cable and said repairs were scheduled for early February.
AFC/M23’s plan to bring in a new operator comes as the ARPTC accuses MTN Group of illegally providing mobile and internet services in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in Goma and Rutshuru, without a license issued by Congolese authorities.
Local sources in central Rutshuru say equipment believed to belong to MTN Rwanda has been installed on antennas in the Murambi neighborhood, allowing the Rwandan network to extend coverage into part of Congolese territory.
This is not the first time MTN-linked operations have been reported in the area. In the early 2000s, when Goma and part of North Kivu were controlled by the Rwanda-backed Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD-Goma), Rwandacell, now MTN Rwanda, is 80% owned by MTN Group, with the remaining 20% listed on the Rwandan stock exchange, operated in the region under the Supercell brand.
In an article published by MTN Group, Frans Joubert, then marketing director of Rwandacell, said: “I was the CEO of Supercell, and the technical platforms were almost entirely managed from Rwanda.” He said he ran the network for nearly two years.
Until August 2005, Supercell used Rwanda’s international dialing code, +250, before switching to +243, the DRC’s code.
Timothée Manoke
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Universal Service Development Fund (FDSU) last week unveiled a 10-year strategy to narrow the digital divide. Covering 2026–2035, the plan is based on a shared infrastructure model aimed at extending network coverage to nearly 68 million people living in rural areas.
The strategy was presented on Thursday, Feb. 12, at the inaugural meeting of the sector coordination framework. The session brought together key public and private telecom stakeholders under the leadership of FDSU Director General Paterne Binene A Kadiat.
The roadmap outlines a shared infrastructure model dubbed “TowerCo Lead.” Under this framework, tower companies, known as TowerCos and acting as lead investors, finance and deploy passive infrastructure including towers, energy systems and backhaul on an open-access basis. Mobile network operators, or MNOs, then install active equipment at these sites to deliver services.
The Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ARPTC) is responsible for oversight, ensuring service quality and compliance with regulatory standards.
The FDSU plays a strategic and financial role, designing subsidy mechanisms and supervising their implementation. Subsidies are allocated by operating zone to consortia comprising TowerCos and MNOs. The country is divided into five operational zones.
Equalization
A cross-subsidization mechanism will allow revenue from profitable sites to offset losses in less viable zones, reducing dependence on public funding.
The initiative comes as infrastructure sharing gains momentum across Africa as a tool to reduce the digital divide. In the DRC, Orange and Vodacom plan to invest $179 million over four years through their joint venture Esengo Towers to deploy 1,000 telecom towers nationwide to expand mobile coverage. In August 2025, Vodacom Group and Airtel Africa also announced an agreement to share telecom infrastructure in several key markets, including the DRC.
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), sharing mobile infrastructure can lower network deployment costs, particularly in rural or underserved markets. It can also support the rollout of new technologies and mobile broadband while strengthening competition when appropriate safeguards are in place.
In 2024, 2G, 3G and 4G networks covered 75%, 55% and 45% of the population, respectively, according to ITU data. The agency estimated mobile penetration at 44.3%, compared with 19.7% for internet use.
By the end of September 2025, the Congolese regulator reported mobile penetration of 65.3% and mobile internet penetration of 32.2% among a population of 112.2 million. Meanwhile, the GSMA estimated that 40 million people in the DRC were not connected to mobile internet in 2023.
Isaac K. Kassouwi, with Ecofin Agency
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Premium Visa cardholders in the Democratic Republic of Congo saw a sharp increase in international travel spending and high-end retail purchases in December 2025, according to a Feb. 10, 2026 statement from Visa.
Data from the Visa Consulting & Analytics Retail Spend Monitor, based on a subset of VisaNet transactions and supplemented by estimates for other payment methods, showed that international travel spending by premium Visa cardholders rose more than 45% year-on-year during the holiday period from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025.
Spending in the DRC by international Visa cardholders, both premium and non-premium, also increased. Visitors from the United Arab Emirates, Zambia, the Czech Republic and Portugal were among the fastest-growing segments, with spending rising more than 75%.
Among Congolese premium Visa cardholders, international travel spending rose 45%. Spending on travel to destinations including France, China, Morocco and the United States increased by about 85%.
Luxury retail also recorded strong growth. Spending on clothing and jewelry abroad by premium Visa cardholders rose more than 55% during the holiday period.
Sophie Kafuti, Visa Cluster Head DRC, said the results reflect changing consumer behavior during the holidays. She said the company aims to support these trends by offering “secure, seamless and innovative payment solutions for consumers and businesses.”
In the DRC, Visa has expanded its local presence through partnerships with commercial banks and fintechs. In September 2025, it launched VisaPay, an application designed to facilitate digital payments for consumers and improve everyday payment transactions.
Ronsard Luabeya
Investigations to determine the causes of the recent deterioration in internet service quality are scheduled to begin on Feb. 3, 2026, DRC ’s Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ARPTC) said in a statement released on Jan. 31.
The operations follow a major technical fault that affected the West Africa Cable System (WACS), an international subsea fibre-optic link, in January. The regulator said work will be carried out in Muanda, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Pointe-Noire, in the Republic of Congo, with the aim of restoring internet services to normal.
ARPTC warned that the operations could lead to further temporary disruptions. It added, however, that the operators involved have implemented redundancy measures to reduce the impact on service continuity.
The regulator said it is closely monitoring the progress of the work and committed to keeping users informed in a timely manner of any steps that may be required depending on developments.
During a Council of Ministers meeting on Jan. 9, 2026, President Felix Tshisekedi instructed the relevant authorities to take the necessary measures to contain recurring disruptions affecting telecommunications networks and systems nationwide.
The malfunctions have affected mobile and fixed-line telephony, internet access, data transmission, digital services, network interconnection, as well as radio broadcasting and digital television.
The head of state also called for stronger regulation, oversight and permanent monitoring mechanisms for network and service quality. He further urged effective coordination between sector ministries, regulatory authorities and specialised technical services.
Ronsard Luabeya
Developing DRCPass, the national digital identification system for the Democratic Republic of Congo, requires $97.1 million in capital expenditure. These costs cover only the equipment, systems, infrastructure, and facilities needed for deployment, according to a Ministry of Planning document.
The project is structured as a public-private partnership signed in June 2025 between the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technologies and the Singaporean company Trident Digital Tech Holdings Ltd. This agreement followed the validation of the proposal by the PPP Management Consulting and Coordination Unit (UC-PPP) a little over a month earlier. The deal makes Trident the exclusive provider of the country's electronic identification services (e-KYC), based on Web 3.0 technologies. The Ministry of Planning document indicates the partnership runs for a 20-year term.
At this stage, no communication from the government or Trident
There has been no communication from the government or Trident so far specifying whether the company must raise the full amount of funding for the partnership. In a press release issued on Sept. 16, 2025, Trident Digital Tech Holdings Ltd announced it had raised $2.6 million. The company said the funds would mainly support the expansion and commercialization of DRCPass in the DRC. Separately, President Félix Tshisekedi announced on Sept. 26, 2025, a $1 billion public investment under the National Digital Development Plan for the 2026-2030 period. This plan includes the rollout of a digital identity for citizens and residents.
The DRCPass system is built around four priority use cases. It is intended to enable biometric authentication for SIM cards linked to a blockchain-verified identity to reduce fake registrations and fraud risks. It will also provide easier access to e-government platforms and online services through a single identifier for all digital public services. For financial services, the system will integrate a one-click e-KYC solution with automated risk assessment and immediate access to credit services to strengthen financial inclusion. Finally, it will serve as a secure digital identity document for public and private transactions, as a complement to physical documents.
Timothée Manoke
Telecommunications networks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been disrupted for several days, according to the sector regulator.
In a statement on Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Regulatory Authority of the Post and Telecommunications of Congo (ARPTC) said the problems were caused by a major technical fault on the West Africa Cable System (WACS). The international undersea fibre-optic cable system links Europe to Africa and is affecting internet services in the country.
ARPTC said repair work was under way and that operators were working to restore services as quickly as possible. It added that it was coordinating with telecom operators to put in place measures to support subscribers, in line with the applicable provisions governing force majeure situations.
The incident has revived concerns about the robustness of the DRC’s digital infrastructure, even as authorities seek to use ICT as a driver of socio-economic development. WACS is one of the main international undersea systems used to provide access to the global internet and international connectivity.
The DRC also has access to the 2Africa cable. Its landing in Muanda was reported in September 2023, with commercial service expected to begin in late 2025.
The country also relies on regional terrestrial interconnections, including a fibre link reported via Lake Albert toward Uganda, according to industry media. It is therefore possible that the DRC is also experiencing knock-on effects from the internet shutdown in Uganda, imposed on the eve of the presidential and parliamentary elections being held on Jan. 15.
Infrastructure investment
On the investment front, authorities recently announced the signing of a $150 million partnership with the investment firm United Investment LMT (UIL), based in Mauritius. The deal was presented as a way to strengthen digital infrastructure.
Publicly available information highlights investments in connectivity and infrastructure. However, accessible sources do not yet provide consistent, detailed documentation confirming the effective installation of a new international undersea cable as part of the initiative.
The episode also recalls vulnerabilities exposed during major outages affecting several undersea cables in March 2024, which caused significant disruptions across multiple African countries. At the time, analysts and industry players regularly pointed to diversification of cable routes and the use of satellite solutions among the options to improve resilience.
Satellite resilience
Satellite connectivity is one of the options frequently cited in this context. The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), for example, has highlighted satellite services as a complement to terrestrial networks and a potential lever to strengthen resilience.
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country with no direct access to a cable landing point, has said it is exploring partnerships with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) connectivity providers, according to public announcements relayed by local and international media. The DRC is also pursuing a telecommunications satellite project, which authorities have framed as part of a broader push for sovereignty and improved connectivity.
ARPTC’s statement follows instructions from President Felix Tshisekedi, who asked the relevant authorities to take measures to end recurring disruptions affecting telecommunications networks and systems nationwide. This included the possibility of sanctions against operators deemed to be failing to meet their obligations.
Isaac K. Kassouwi, with Ecofin Agency