DRC announces fibre expansion project with Genew Technologies

Details: James Barton; Category: Optical & Fixed Networks; 03 July 2026; 717 views

The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Genew Technologies for a major fibre optic initiative covering the Congo River.

The project will see the partners deploy 1700km of fibre along the river from Muanda to Kisangani together with a further 400km of terrestrial connections. The project seeks to expand the country’s broadband network along new routes to boost connectivity.

To achieve this, the ministry noted that the river and its tributaries would function as deployment corridors, as this would help to avoid some of the typical challenges associated with land-based infrastructure deployment in the DRC – including the country’s colossal scale, difficult to navigate roads, security risks, and supply chain issues.

Genew Technologies Chief Executive Wu Minhua estimated that the initiative would cost US$1.5 billion, with the initial phase requiring over $400 million. No further details have yet been provided on the timeline for implementation or financing structure.