en.Wedoany.com Reported - The ongoing dispute over service quality between Chadian authorities and telecom operator Airtel Chad has escalated, with Airtel Chad submitting a new investment plan to address pressure on network performance.
This development follows a meeting on June 24 between Chadian Minister of Telecommunications Haliki Choua Mahamat and a delegation from Airtel Africa. Airtel Chad CEO Brahim Nallar stated that the operator plans to strengthen technical infrastructure to improve network quality and introduce new services. However, the company provided no further details, and government officials remain skeptical, as the company has previously announced similar plans without full implementation.
In September 2025, Airtel Chad announced a 50 billion Central African CFA franc (approximately $90 million) investment plan aimed at improving network quality and expanding digital connectivity nationwide. The plan was originally scheduled for completion this month. According to the Ecofin news agency, Chadian authorities have urged Airtel Chad to achieve measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, service availability, and network coverage, particularly in remote areas.
The telecom minister also urged the operator to revise its operational model, particularly by reducing the practice of submitting operational decisions to group headquarters for approval, which he believes delays problem resolution. He also expressed concerns over reliance on subcontractors for equipment management, technical personnel, and site maintenance. The minister further noted that Airtel Chad should connect to the national backbone network deployed by the government, an issue that has been on the agenda since last year. Authorities will soon activate fiber optic links serving the eastern and northern regions of the country.
This issue is not limited to Airtel. The Chadian government has previously warned Moov Africa Chad, an operator under Maroc Telecom, to improve network performance, as officials grow increasingly dissatisfied with the deterioration of mobile service quality nationwide. Fines for repeated poor service quality are already part of potential sanctions, which could extend to replacing the local management teams of the country's two major operators if service quality does not significantly improve.
