The Democratic Republic of Congo plans an international tender for the construction and operation of a national fiber-optic backbone spanning more than 11,500 kilometers, including 1,500 kilometers of international links.

The process reached a new milestone on June 19, 2026, in Kinshasa with the opening of a market engagement workshop chaired by Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs Minister José Mpanda. The meeting brought together telecom operators, investors, financial institutions, and international development partners.

The workshop aimed to present the main parameters of the upcoming tender, gather feedback from market participants, and prepare a transparent and competitive procurement process. The government intends to establish a contractual framework capable of attracting private investors while complying with the standards required by the project's funding partners.

Strengthening the Digital Backbone

The Digital Transformation Project is backed by $400 million in financing from the World Bank and co-financed with €100 million ($115 million) from the French Development Agency.

The combined financing package amounts to approximately $515 million.

The planned backbone network is intended to strengthen the country's digital infrastructure and improve both domestic and international interconnection across the DRC. According to project officials, the network will include international links with several neighboring countries, including Angola, Uganda, Burundi and the Central African Republic.

Beyond the fiber-optic infrastructure, the program aims to expand access to digital services, reduce internet costs, improve connectivity quality and strengthen network resilience. It is also expected to support the expansion of mobile coverage in areas that remain underserved.

Digital Public Services

The project aims to facilitate access to digital services for more than 30 million Congolese citizens and extend mobile coverage to 650 additional communities. It also plans to connect more government institutions and improve access to digital public services.

One component of the program focuses on connectivity for public-sector entities. A pilot phase calls for connecting 35 strategic government offices in Kinshasa through a centralized network management and performance monitoring system.

The project also includes measures to improve connectivity across the country's 145 territories. A pilot phase will cover seven provincial administrations and 44 administrative offices, with the goal of making digital public services more accessible to local residents.

4G and 5G Equipment

The government also plans to support the expansion of high-speed mobile coverage through the Universal Service Development Fund.

The financing is expected to be used to build new telecom sites, deploy 4G and 5G equipment, provide reliable power for telecom infrastructure, and strengthen transmission systems, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.

For Congolese authorities, the national backbone is expected to become the foundation of the country's digital transformation. It is intended to support the modernization of public administration, the development of digital services, financial inclusion, technological innovation and improved connectivity throughout the DRC.

However, the project remains in a preparatory phase. The international tender has not yet been launched. The June 19 workshop was instead a market consultation phase designed to refine the technical, financial and contractual structure of the project before the publication of the tender documents.

Ronsard Luabeya