FDSU signed the first subsidy agreements with key telecom operators operating in the DRC, namely Airtel, Vodacom, Orange, and Africell. The ceremony, led by Minister of Posts and Telecommunications José Mpanda, also included the presentation of the first National Universal Service Report. This initiative reflects the government's commitment to moving from the planning stage to the practical implementation of connectivity projects to gradually expand access to telecommunications and digital services in areas that remain underserved.
The signed agreements relate to the first phase, which includes 40 sites that will serve as the launching point for a connectivity program designed for gradual expansion. Through this initial rollout, authorities intend to bring digital services closer to the population and expand access to telephone and internet. The initiative is also intended to facilitate educational institutions' access to educational resources, support the development of telemedicine, and stimulate economic activity in rural and suburban areas. The choice of these sites stems from a long-standing industry problem: laying telecommunications infrastructure in remote, sparsely populated, or commercially unattractive areas often proves prohibitively expensive for operators with limited return on investment. Therefore, the FDSU's intervention aims to financially support such investments, allowing operators to expand their networks in areas where they would otherwise not otherwise invest solely through their own resources.
Speaking at the ceremony, FDSU Director General, Paterne Binene-A-Kadiat, presented the key achievements of the institution's work over the past year. Specifically, he noted the strengthening of the Fund's institutional framework, the refinement of governance mechanisms, the mobilization of resources, the implementation of a national connectivity assessment, the definition of an intervention strategy, and the preparation of initial deployment projects. According to the Director General, the signing of the agreements marks the transition from the preparatory phase to the practical implementation phase. He emphasized that the expected impact goes far beyond simply expanding coverage. Network access is expected to create new opportunities in education, healthcare, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and administrative services.
The FDSU already plans to accelerate the program's implementation in the coming years. The next phase is planned to reach approximately 300 sites or settlements, which will provide connectivity to approximately 1.8 million people currently without service. By 2030, the ambitious goal is to reach 3,000 settlements and provide connectivity to approximately 16 million more Congolese. The program also includes the creation of 100 digital community centers. «The rollout next year envisages 300 sites or settlements, which will impact approximately 1,800,000 residents currently unreached, and by 2030, the goal is to reach 3,000 settlements, reaching 16 million residents who remain without service. The signing of these agreements marks the transition to a new phase — the implementation phase», added the FDSU CEO.
To ensure these investments are implemented in areas with low commercial returns, the agreements are based on a down payment financing mechanism known as «Full CAPEX». This model involves the government, mobile operators, and companies specializing in telecommunications infrastructure. Sharing infrastructure should help reduce costs and accelerate network deployment. Through this first stage, FDSU aims to make communications a tool for economic growth and social inclusion. The main challenge now is to translate these commitments into operational infrastructure and accessible services.
The creation of the FDSU is in line with the Congolese government's commitment to making access to telecommunications and digital technologies a driver of inclusion and development. The institution's mission is to improve access to telecommunications services in rural and peri-urban areas, which remain underserved, in part due to their low attractiveness to operators. The Fund's work is based on identifying population needs, planning service expansion, and selecting projects eligible for government funding. Through this strategy, the FDSU hopes to contribute to the creation of a more connected Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the benefits of digital technologies will gradually become available to all citizens. The government strives to ensure that universal access to the internet becomes not an abstract institutional goal, but a gradually achievable reality, one territory at a time, for the benefit of all Congolese.
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