• DRC advances talks with Monacosat to launch a national telecom satellite.
• Fidelity Bank signals interest in financing the project as Kinshasa seeks partners.
• The initiative aims to expand internet access, with penetration still at 30.5%.

DR Congo’s government is stepping up efforts to improve connectivity nationwide. In this context, President Félix Tshisekedi met on August 30 with Jean-Philippe Anvam, a representative of Monaco-based Monacosat, to review progress on the national telecom satellite project, the presidency said.

He was joined by Digital Economy Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba and Post and Telecommunications Minister José Mpanda. “Reducing the digital divide in the DRC through the deployment of a Congolese satellite is an initiative that aims to provide high-speed internet access across the country, particularly in rural and remote areas where telecom infrastructure remains limited,” Anvam said.

Two days earlier, on August 28, Minister Kibassa received a delegation from Nigeria’s Fidelity Bank, led by CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe. The bank, which is looking to establish operations in the DRC, expressed readiness to support the satellite project financially. The government reiterated its commitment to mobilize partners to make digital technology a driver of economic and social development.

Kinshasa signed a memorandum of understanding with Monacosat in November 2024 to collaborate on the project. Satellite technology is gaining traction across Africa for its ability to deliver universal coverage, even in remote areas beyond the reach of traditional telecom networks.

In the DRC, 2G network coverage reached 75% of the population in 2023, compared with just 45% for 4G, according to data from the International Telecommunication Union. Internet penetration stood at 30.5% for a population of about 102.3 million, while the GSMA estimated that 40 million people had no access to mobile internet at all.

While the project could help narrow the digital divide, key details remain unclear. The financial structure, technical arrangements, governance, and project timeline have not been disclosed. By comparison, Angola signed an agreement with Russia in 2018 to build a telecom satellite. AngoSat-2, which replaced a satellite lost at launch in 2017, was placed into orbit in October 2022 and entered service in early 2023.