Central African Republic is seeking to strengthen its internet connectivity through a planned digital interconnection with South Sudan, as authorities push to reduce the country’s dependence on fragile regional networks and improve access to international broadband capacity.
The project, announced during celebrations marking World Telecommunication Day and International Girls in ICT Day on May 17, forms part of broader efforts by the government in Bangui to tackle long-standing digital infrastructure challenges in one of Africa’s least connected countries.
Adolphe Nicaise Samafou, chief of staff at the Ministry of Digital Economy, Posts and Telecommunications, said the initiative would be implemented by the Central African Digital Development Agency alongside telecom operator MTN Group.
Authorities have not yet disclosed details on financing, implementation timelines, technical specifications or the exact route of the planned infrastructure.
The initiative is aimed primarily at improving access to international internet capacity in a country that remains structurally disadvantaged because of its landlocked geography and limited telecommunications infrastructure.
Most global internet traffic passes through submarine fibre-optic cables located along coastlines. Without direct access to such systems, the Central African Republic relies heavily on neighbouring countries to connect to international data networks.
The country historically depended almost entirely on satellite connectivity for internet access, resulting in high operating costs, limited competition among telecom providers and slow internet speeds.
In 2018, the African Development Bank described the Central African Republic as the last landlocked African country without terrestrial fibre-optic links to neighbouring states.
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A 2020 World Bank digital economy assessment also found that nearly all of the country’s international internet capacity still relied on satellite systems at the time.
Since then, connectivity has improved through the Central African Backbone project, which links member states of the Economic Community of Central African States through high-speed telecommunications infrastructure.
Under that programme, the Central African Republic established fibre links with Cameroon and Republic of the Congo, both of which have access to submarine cable systems.
Cameroon is connected to five submarine cables while Congo has access to two, helping improve internet speeds and network capacity inside the Central African Republic.
Officials say the improvements have contributed to a sharp rise in internet penetration, which they estimate has increased from 15.5% at the beginning of 2025 to around 30% currently.
International institutions say improved access to submarine cable infrastructure can significantly lower broadband costs and improve network resilience.
According to a July 2024 World Bank report, every doubling of submarine cable capacity in Africa generally leads to a 7% reduction in fixed broadband prices and a 13% decline in mobile broadband costs.
Despite the potential benefits, analysts note that the choice of South Sudan as a new interconnection route may still pose challenges because South Sudan is itself landlocked and has historically suffered from limited network redundancy.
Until 2023, South Sudan depended primarily on a single international connectivity route through Uganda, another country without direct submarine cable access.
The World Bank warned in a 2023 diagnostic study that South Sudan’s limited connectivity redundancy created major vulnerabilities for internet reliability and resilience.
South Sudan has since explored additional links through Kenya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia, as well as a future connection to Djibouti, one of Africa’s main submarine cable hubs.
Beyond international connectivity, the Central African Republic also faces domestic infrastructure challenges.
Authorities have reported repeated acts of vandalism and sabotage targeting telecommunications infrastructure in recent months, raising concerns about network reliability and maintenance costs.
Analysts say expanding domestic fibre-optic coverage will be critical if the country hopes to extend the benefits of new international links beyond Bangui and major urban centres.
Without broader national infrastructure development, improved international capacity could remain concentrated in a limited number of cities, leaving large parts of the population without meaningful digital access.
For the Central African Republic, the planned South Sudan interconnection reflects a broader effort to reduce digital isolation, attract investment and improve participation in the regional digital economy despite significant structural and security constraints.
