• Chad seeks digital partners to overcome landlocked connectivity barriers
• Plans include fiber links with Egypt, Nigeria, and Congo-Ocean line
• Progress slow; TSB project only 32% complete as of March 2025

Chadian authorities are increasing their efforts to improve the country's digital connectivity, holding a meeting with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and seeking partnerships to bypass their landlocked status. These initiatives are part of the government's "Chad Connection 2030" national development program.

At the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25) in Saudi Arabia, Haliki Choua Mahamat, the Director General of Chad’s Electronic Communications and Posts Regulatory Authority (ARCEP), met with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. Discussions centered on the challenges Chad faces due to its geographic isolation and lack of direct access to submarine cables, which hinders the development of its digital infrastructure. The Chadian regulator presented current and future initiatives, including plans to adapt the country’s regulatory framework to a digital landscape.

In a separate move, Boukar Michel, Chad's Minister of Telecommunications, met with officials in N'Djamena on Wednesday, August 13, to finalize projects for submission to potential Emirati investors. The minister highlighted plans for fiber optic connections with Egypt, Niger, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic, aiming to link to the Congo-Ocean line.

Chad has also pursued other international and regional partnerships. In June, the country held talks with Greece and signed a memorandum of understanding with Niger for fiber optic interconnection. Other potential coastal partners include Algeria and Libya. Chad also aims to strengthen ties with Cameroon, which is currently its only provider of international internet capacity.

While neighboring countries can provide the submarine cable capacity necessary for internet connectivity, international partners like the ITU and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can offer technical expertise and financial support. The UAE, for example, scored 98.3% on the ITU's 2024 ICT Development Index and ranks 11th globally for e-government development, according to the United Nations.

Through these initiatives, Chad is seeking to "build an inclusive, sustainable, and harmonized digital ecosystem," according to its telecom regulator. However, these discussions appear to be at an early stage. No agreements have been announced with the ITU or Greece, and no official updates have been provided on the discussions with Emirati investors announced three weeks ago.

Progress on physical infrastructure also appears limited. While Chad is part of the Trans-Saharan Fiber Optic Backbone (TSB) alongside Niger, Nigeria, and Algeria, authorities stated in March 2025 that the Chadian portion of the project was only 32% complete.

Isaac K. Kassouwi