Wedoany.com Report on Feb 11th, The Chadian government has recently urged telecom operators Sotel and Airtel to accelerate the advancement of the N'Djamena-Mbere fiber optic link agreement connecting Chad and Cameroon. This fiber optic link is of strategic importance, connecting the Chadian capital N'Djamena to the Cameroonian border. It serves as a critical gateway for Chad to access international submarine cable capacity, aiming to enhance network quality and connectivity.
However, this fiber optic link project requires the revision of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in April 2025. The Chadian Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) has suspended this MoU, noting that some of its clauses may contradict principles of national digital sovereignty. Dr. Boukar Michel, Chad's Minister of Posts and Digital Economy, has issued guidance, inviting Sotel and Airtel for consultations to adjust the contentious clauses. The aim is to ensure the amendments align with Chad's strategic objectives so that the project can proceed smoothly.
The ministry stated on social media: "This is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the quality of the national telecommunications network, improve service continuity and performance, while ensuring the necessity of respecting digital sovereignty, security, and the public interest." In August 2025, Michel also demanded that telecom operators Airtel and Moov Africa connect to the national fiber optic network to improve service quality, warning of potential penalties otherwise.
Chad has been committed to improving service quality and covering areas with weak network coverage. The regulatory authority has taken strict measures against non-compliant companies. For instance, in August 2023, ARCEP fined Airtel Chad 5 billion Central African CFA francs (approximately $8.3 million at the time) due to declining network quality. An audit revealed a significant drop in Airtel Chad's network performance.
Through the N'Djamena-Mbere fiber optic link, Chad hopes to enhance its network connectivity. Currently, the country's internet penetration rate is only 13.2%. According to DataReportal, by the end of 2025, Chad had only 2.79 million internet users. Kepios analysis indicates that from October 2024 to October 2025, Chad's internet user base increased by 83,000, a growth rate of 3.1%, highlighting the urgency of improving network quality and connectivity.
