Airtel Chad has announced a major investment plan worth XAF 50 billion (about USD 90 million) to enhance network quality and expand digital connectivity nationwide.
The phased program includes immediate upgrades within the next month: increasing microwave connection capacity, replacing outdated generators, boosting radio capacity on 89 4G sites, upgrading router ports in N’Djamena to 100G, and modernizing the fiber network previously operated by SOTEL.
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By January 2026, Airtel aims to deploy fiber to connect sites in Massakory, Ati, Dop-Dop, and Abéché; extend radio services to an additional 306 sites; and launch the third phase of metro fiber deployment in N’Djamena.
The rollout will continue into June 2026 with 114 new sites in underserved areas, 4G expansion across 170 additional sites, extended fiber links between N’Djamena and Sarh, and the replacement of its Ericsson-supplied core network with new Huawei equipment.
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The plan has been submitted to the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP) amid mounting pressure on operators to connect to Chad’s national fiber backbone and address ongoing service quality complaints, including outages, unstable internet, and high tariffs.
Airtel has previously faced penalties over quality of service (QoS) issues, including a XAF 5 billion (USD 9 million) fine in August 2023. To ensure accountability, the operator has pledged to provide ARCEP with monthly progress reports on its investment program, while ARCEP continues its 15th national audit on service quality.
