• Congo has approved CFA21.87 billion ($39.3 million) for its 2026 digital transformation program.
• The plan aims to expand broadband access, digitize public services, and train 1,200 young people in digital skills.
• The country ranks 166th in the U.N. e-government index and remains weak in cybersecurity capacity.

The Republic of Congo has approved a CFA21.872 billion ($39.3 million) budget for 2026 under its Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PATN), according to local media reports. The funding is intended to continue efforts to connect the country to high-speed internet and modernize public services.

“We have decided to ensure continuity, since work has already begun on rural connectivity, the construction of a multimedia center, and support for the government in deploying certain applications within the Ministry of the Interior,” said PATN coordinator Michel Ngakala, as quoted by Adiac-Congo.

By 2027, the project aims to meet several structural goals: reduce the digital divide by connecting underserved areas, digitize civil registry services, launch a single online portal for public services, train 1,200 young people in digital skills, and connect public universities, including Marien-Ngouabi University and Denis-Sassou Nguesso University. Strengthening cybersecurity is also listed as a priority.

The effort comes as Congo continues to lag in digital governance, even as authorities view technology as a driver of social and economic development. The country ranked 166th in the latest United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI), with a score of 0.3391 out of 1. While slightly above the Central African average (0.3354), Congo remains below both the African average (0.4247) and the global average (0.6382).

In telecommunications, network coverage is relatively broad, but usage remains limited. According to the International Telecommunication Union, 2G coverage reached 89.3% of the population in 2023, while 3G and 4G networks covered 87% and 77.5%, respectively, in 2024. Yet internet penetration was estimated at just 47.3% of the population. Authorities have also identified “white zones” with no network coverage at all.

Cybersecurity presents another major challenge. In 2024, Congo was ranked in Tier 4 — the second-lowest category — of the ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index. While the country scored relatively well in legal frameworks (14.12 out of 20) and international cooperation (8.87 out of 20), it remains weaker in technical capacity, institutional organization, and skills development.

Isaac K. Kassouwi