• Chad’s ADETIC joins ITU to boost international digital cooperation

• Membership supports $1.5 billion “Chad Connection 2030” digital strategy

• Move targets weak ICT rankings, low connectivity and cybersecurity gaps

Chad’s Information and Communication Technologies Development Agency (ADETIC) said last week it had become an official member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a step expected to strengthen international cooperation as the government seeks to accelerate digital development to support socio-economic growth.

ADETIC said the membership will give it greater access to internationally recognised technical expertise and a broad network of partners, which it sees as key to advancing Chad’s digital transformation. The ITU has 194 member states and more than 1,000 participants from the private sector, academia and international organisations.

“This collaboration will allow ADETIC to draw on expertise, best practices and resources needed to address Chad’s major ICT challenges,” the agency said in a statement.

The move aligns with Chad’s broader strategy to build a sovereign, efficient and inclusive digital sector by drawing on international experience. In recent months, the country has engaged partners including Azerbaijan, Guinea-Bissau, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Cameroon, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Kenya, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), India and Canada.

Under its “Chad Connection 2030” programme, the government plans to invest $1.5 billion in digital infrastructure. The initiative aims to position Chad among Africa’s leading economies within six years, expand network coverage to reach most of the population, and digitalise and interconnect all public and semi-public services to provide full access to e-government. Improving connectivity in remote and landlocked areas is also a stated priority.

Chad currently ranks 189th out of 193 countries in the United Nations 2024 E-Government Development Index, with a score of 0.1785, well below the African average of 0.4247 and the global average of 0.6382.

The country is also classified in Tier 4, the second-lowest level, of the ITU 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index, scoring 48.67 out of 100. While Chad shows comparatively stronger performance in legislative frameworks and international cooperation, it still needs to reinforce its technical and organisational measures, as well as its national capacities.

On ICT development more broadly, Chad ranked last among the 47 African countries assessed in the ITU 2024 ICT Development Index. According to the same source, 2G, 3G and 4G networks covered 86.9%, 84.5% and 60% of the population respectively in 2023, while internet penetration stood at 13.2%.

Isaac K. Kassouwi