Genew Technologies and Zhongshi Wosen, both Chinese companies, will help the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) build its fiber optic network. The Congolese Minister of Telecoms, Augustin Maliba, signed the related memorandum of understanding(MoU) on April 7, 2025.

"With the support of the Minister and the Agency for the Steering, Coordination and Monitoring of Collaboration Agreements (APCSC), we will strive to significantly improve the telecommunications sector in the DRC," said Wu Minhua, CEO of Genew Technologies. He also noted that the DRC had been on his company’s radar for investment for several years, adding, "The time has come, that's why we're here."

While MoUs often lead to collaboration, they are not legally binding commitments. Thus, only definitive agreements will seal the partnership with Genew Technologies and Zhongshi Wosen.

Genew Technologies, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Shenzhen, specializes in end-to-end communication solutions and telecommunications infrastructure. It is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. 

Zhongshi Wosen, on the other hand, remains less known, though it is already active in the DRC. Its president, Zhou Tiesheng, visited Central South University (CSU) in China alongside a Congolese government delegation in November 2024. 

According to the Congolese Ministry of Telecom, the two Chinese companies are experienced in ICT and fiber optic communications, and have worked in markets like Angola and Mauritania.

The need for infrastructure development in the DRC is pressing. According to the Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Télécommunications (ARPTC), only 9,361 km of optical fiber have been deployed out of the 50,000 km outlined in the Plan National du Numérique – Horizon 2025.

This article was initially published in French by Pierre Mukoko

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho