Congolese authorities are banking on digital technology for national socio-economic development. However, nearly 70% of the population did not have access to the internet in 2023, according to ITU data.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to explore new sources of funding to accelerate the implementation of its digital infrastructure projects. This week, José Mpanda Kabangu, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, received a delegation from British International Investment (BII) to learn about the Congolese government’s priorities in the telecommunications sector.

According to Scoop RDC, Christopher Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of the Africa Region at the IIB, indicated that the institution has a global budget of $8 billion and invests approximately $1 billion annually in projects with a strong socio-economic impact.

“Our country is vast, but it is not well connected. There is a digital divide. We have 145 unconnected territories that are calling for investment, and our doors are open to private investors ,” the minister stated. He specified that the DRC currently has only 4,000 km of fiber optic cable, while the estimated need is 50,000 km, and 5,150 telecom towers, with a target of at least 30,000.

This rapprochement comes after several major announcements: in October 2025, the DRC finalized a $150 million agreement with the Mauritian company United Investment LMT (UIL) to deploy up to 80,000 km of fiber optic cable, install a submarine cable, and build three data centers. In September, the American company Unity Development Fund expressed its intention to invest in the Congolese digital sector. In August, Fidelity Bank of Nigeria expressed interest in financing the national telecommunications satellite project. In February, a $1 billion agreement was signed with the Indian company General Technologies.

The development of digital infrastructure is one of the four pillars of the National Digital Plan 2026–2030 (PNN2), launched in October 2025, which aims to make the DRC a regional digital hub. To support this strategy, the government plans a public investment of one billion dollars over five years, supplemented by 500 million dollars in external support already secured from international partners.

Digital infrastructure is essential to guarantee access to telecommunications services. In 2023, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks covered 75%, 55%, and 45% of the Congolese population, respectively. Mobile phone penetration was 55%, compared to 30.5% for internet access. The GSMA estimates that 40 million Congolese did not use mobile internet at all that same year.

Bridging this digital divide is crucial in a context where digital technology is seen as a driver of development. The government aims to digitize all public services to bring them closer to citizens, with applications planned for every sector of the economy. According to the GSMA, continued digitization could add approximately $4.1 billion to the Congolese economy by 2029.

Source: Agence Ecofin