DR Congo is buying a satellite using a $20 million facility secured from SICOMINES, a Sino-Congolese mining project. Gilbert Kabanda, Minister of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, disclosed the news on Dec. 10, 2024, during a plenary session of the Senate.

"A commission has been set up to define the technical characteristics of this satellite, which will be an important step in strengthening our technological sovereignty and improving the management of our territory," Kabanda said, addressing some senators’ concerns. The purchase aligns with a strategy to modernize the country’s natural resource management tools and enhance its digital infrastructure.

In 2022, after revealing a project to buy a $100 million satellite, the Congolese government launched a call for tenders through the Ministry of Scientific Research. Concurrently, the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technologies (PT-NTIC) signed an agreement with Monacosat, a satellite operator from Monaco, to provide satellite-based Internet connectivity.

With the new satellite, the DRC will modernize geographic infrastructures and safeguard strategic data in digital formats. The satellite will also facilitate territorial observation by identifying agricultural production zones, industrial basins, and transportation challenges due to inadequate road infrastructure. It will also help secure borders, monitor areas affected by natural disasters, combat illegal mining activities, and better protect the population against rebels.

This project reflects the DRC's commitment to leveraging technology for improved governance and resource management. The government's ongoing collaboration with international partners like Monacosat translates attests broader efforts to boost connectivity and tackle the country’s critical infrastructure deficits.

This article was initially published in French, by Samira Njoya, Ecofin Agency.

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho