Highlights:

• Noël Litanga officially appointed coordinator of the PATN on July 11 in Kinshasa
• $500M funding from the World Bank and French Development Agency to support digital access, services, and skills
• PATN to deploy 10,000 km of fiber optic cable and train 6,000 youth

Noël Litanga has been appointed coordinator of the Digital Transformation Support Project (PATN) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with his official installation taking place on July 11, 2025, in Kinshasa. The ceremony was overseen by the chief of staff of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs.

Backed by $400 million from the World Bank and €100 million from the French Development Agency (around $116 million at current rates), the PATN aims to enhance access to digital services, build infrastructure for public service delivery, and foster advanced digital skills aligned with industry and innovation needs.

The project includes rolling out 10,000 kilometers of fiber optic network, developing a secure intranet for government institutions, and launching a digital one-stop shop for administrative services. It also plans to train 6,000 young people and implement an inclusion program focused on women and vulnerable groups.

Litanga was selected for the role through a competitive process led by the World Bank. He holds an MBA from Robert Kennedy College and has completed executive training at Harvard Business School and London Business School. With over 30 years of experience in digital and telecommunications across both public and private sectors, he previously served as chief of staff to the Minister of Digital Affairs (2021–2024) and as a consultant to SCPT (2015–2021).

In the private sector, Litanga was Vice President of IT and Billing at Bharti Airtel Congo (2011–2014) and held similar roles at Bharti Airtel Gabon and Celtel Madagascar between 2006 and 2011.

This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya, intern

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho