• DR Congo signed an MoU with China Unicom’s subsidiary Unicom Airnet for a potential satellite partnership.
• The country previously advanced a $400 million satellite plan with MonacoSat backed by financing.
• Around 40 million Congolese lacked mobile internet access in 2023, highlighting the digital gap.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is advancing its ambition to deploy a national telecommunications satellite to reduce this gap. Authorities are engaging with China to leverage its technological expertise.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications announced on Tuesday, April 7 that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Unicom Airnet, a subsidiary of state-owned China Unicom. However, officials have not yet detailed the scope of the potential partnership.

A Project Already Initiated With Another Partner

This engagement with China follows earlier efforts with MonacoSat. The government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Monaco-based satellite operator in November 2024. The agreement covered “the deployment by the Democratic Republic of the Congo of a satellite telecommunications network through the acquisition of satellite capacity from MonacoSat.”

Augustin Kibassa Maliba, then Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, also held a working session with satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space, MonacoSat’s industrial partner.

In August 2025, a MonacoSat delegation led by representative Jean-Philippe Anvam met President Félix Tshisekedi to review the project and its progress. The partners specified several elements, including an acquisition cost estimated at $400 million with financing already secured from a bank.

Anvam said: “Reducing the digital divide in the DRC through the deployment of a Congolese satellite is an initiative that aims to facilitate access to high-speed internet across the entire territory, particularly in rural and remote areas where telecommunications infrastructure remains insufficient.”

At the same time, Kibassa hosted a delegation from Fidelity Bank Nigeria led by Chief Executive Officer Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe. The bank, which plans to expand into the DRC, expressed readiness to support the satellite project financially.

The government reiterated its intention to “mobilize all necessary partners to make digital technology a real driver of economic and social development.” It aims to invest $1.5 billion in the sector by 2030.

China’s Proven Space Expertise in Africa

The new memorandum raises questions about whether authorities will abandon the MonacoSat partnership or pursue a complementary approach. Nevertheless, China has established itself as a global leader in space technologies.

The United States Institute of Peace, cited by Reuters, reports that Beijing has concluded 23 bilateral space partnerships in Africa. These agreements cover satellite financing and deployment as well as the construction of ground stations for data and imagery collection.

China supported Nigeria in launching its first telecommunications satellite, NigComSat-1 in 2007, and its replacement NigComSat-1R in 2011 after the initial failure. This project illustrates a turnkey model in which Chinese actors manage the entire value chain from design to financing, launch, and local capacity building.

China also supported Algeria in deploying the Alcomsat-1 telecommunications satellite, launched in 2017. More recently, both countries strengthened cooperation through agreements targeting satellite-based IoT services, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite development, and broader technological autonomy.

Satellite Technology as a Tool Against the Digital Divide

If completed, the DRC’s satellite project could accelerate access to digital services nationwide. Satellite technology is increasingly favored for its ability to provide near-universal coverage, including in remote areas that remain difficult for terrestrial networks.

The GSMA recommends alternative solutions in the DRC as the cost of deploying terrestrial networks rises significantly when coverage expands into rural areas. The International Telecommunication Union reports that 2G, 3G, and 4G networks covered 75%, 55%, and 45% of the population respectively in 2024.

Usage levels remain low. The ITU reports that mobile penetration reached 44.3% and internet penetration reached 19.7% in 2024. The GSMA estimates that about 40 million Congolese lacked access to mobile internet in 2023, out of a population of 105.7 million according to the World Bank.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum