Mobile operators in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) face possible sanctions for failing to meet service-quality standards, authorities said.

At a cabinet meeting on Jan. 9, 2026, President Felix Tshisekedi instructed telecommunications regulators to take action to curb recurring disruptions affecting networks and systems nationwide.

The president ordered the strict enforcement of penalties предусмотрed by law against any operator found in breach of obligations relating to service quality, continuity, coverage, or consumer protection. He also called for stronger regulatory oversight, enhanced controls, and continuous monitoring of network and service performance, alongside improved coordination between line ministries, regulators, and technical agencies. A detailed report is due within 30 days.

The disruptions affect mobile and fixed telephony, internet access, data transmission, digital services, network interconnection, and radio and digital television broadcasting.

“These persistent failures seriously disrupt citizens’ daily lives, government operations, and the functioning of the national economy, leading to communication breakdowns, interruptions in banking and commercial transactions, and a marked deterioration in radio and digital television services,” the cabinet statement said.

In late December, Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs Minister Jose Mpanda Kabangu called out operators Orange, Airtel, and Vodacom following user complaints over unstable networks, dropped calls, and limited internet access in Sankuru province.

Earlier, in September, shortly after taking office, the minister highlighted nationwide malfunctions, including frequent outages, network congestion, unjustified airtime deductions, and failed mobile money transactions that were nonetheless billed. Consumers regularly raise these issues on social media.

Pressure on telecom operators comes as Congolese authorities seek to position the digital sector as a key driver of socio-economic development. Officials say reliable, high-performance, resilient, and continuous networks are essential in a competitive environment that ensures fair territorial coverage and strong consumer protection.

Such infrastructure is also critical to support access to digital public services rolled out by the government.

The sanctions under consideration have not yet been specified. However, the 2020 telecommunications and ICT law provides that any breach of license conditions or associated specifications not warranting suspension or withdrawal may be punished by a fine of up to one-quarter of the license value.

Isaac K. Kassouwi