In the DRC, demand for telecom services has been rising unabatedly since 2020. Operators are therefore upping investments to meet the demand and become more competitive.
Africell SA will need more frequency spectrum to improve its network coverage in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The issue was raised by Peter Pham, a member of Africell SA’s board of directors, during a meeting with Augustin Kibassa Maliba, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, on the sidelines of the 40th session of the Assembly of Parties of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO).
The move comes some eight months after the network operator presented its investment plans to Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge. According to the plan, the operator intends to double the size of its network in the DRC, notably in the east.
The expansion project is necessary, given the increasing competition in the Congolese telecom market driven by the growing demand for telecom services brought about by Covid-19. Since 2021, its competitors, Orange and Vodacom, have been investing in their networks, including the rollout of a fiber-optic network, service extension in rural areas, and network upgrades (from 2G to 3G). Earlier this month, Airtel Africa acquired an additional US$42 million spectrum.
By expanding its network, Africell wants to reach thousands more people, strengthening its market positioning and boosting revenues. As of the fourth quarter of 2021, it was the fourth operator in the Congolese market with 9.73% of the market share. It was behind Orange, Airtel, and Vodacom, which controlled 27.86%, 28.55%, and 33.86% of the market respectively.
In June 2021, the group secured a US$105 million syndicated loan to finance its African strategy. In the meantime, it launched commercial operations in Angola.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
Lebara Group is now bringing its affordable and reliable mobile services to Africa, starting with Ni...
• Gates Foundation commits $1.6 billion over five years to Gavi.• Bill Gates warns of rising ch...
Transport and food prices have been climbing steadily across Africa in recent years. In Côte d’Ivoir...
In a West African financial landscape marked by tighter regulation of the fintech sector, digital fi...
• Maritime sector faces renewed risks amid military tensions in the Middle East• Blockade fears at S...
• South Sudan initiates a $58 million, four-year project to transform basic education nationwide.• The program aims to directly benefit over 300,000...
• Cape Verde reclassified as an upper-middle-income country due to a 16.8% rise in GNI per capita.• Namibia downgraded to lower-middle-income after a...
• Ivory Coast grants two new four-year gold exploration permits to Global Industries Sarl and Rampage Exploration Sarl.• National gold production reached...
• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from 166.5 million in 2024/2025.• China’s coffee demand...
The Gerewol tradition is a fascinating ritual celebrated by the Bororo Fulani, a nomadic community primarily located in Chad and Niger. This annual...
In northern Ethiopia, in the Tigray region, lies Axum (also spelled Aksum), an ancient city that once stood at the heart of one of Africa’s most powerful...