MTN Congo declared that it is the first telecom operator in Central Africa to roll out 5G, calling it a “digital revolution” that will change the lives of Congolese people.

This occurred two years after MTN Congo, purportedly the first operator in the nation to do so, debuted its 5G network in the country’s pilot phase in October 2022.

At the time, the nation’s minister of telecommunications, Leon Juste Ibombo, disclosed that 5G trials had yielded data rates higher than 10Gbps, allowing the operator to get ready to introduce 5G services for sale in the Republic of the Congo.

Read also: MTN Ghana launches ‘Yellow Biz 4-in-One’ to help SMEs with advanced 4G internet solutions

In order to provide electronic communication services, Ibombo stated that the government “will hasten to offer operators in the sector a technologically neutral licence to establish and operate a terrestrial cellular mobile network open to the public.”

MTN Congo expresses gratitude to stakeholders

MTN Congo also thanked local officials, in particular Leon Juste Ibombo and Louis-Marc Sakala, representative of the country’s telecom regulator, after the recent launch announcement, stating that the advancement opens up new possibilities for innovation and connectivity.

MTN Congo announced that Congo has become the first country in the region to roll out 5G, saying, “This technological advancement is an unprecedented opportunity to boost the development and growth of businesses.” With the rollout of the 5G network, Congo is also ushering in a new digital era.

Read also: Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications moves to stem fibre cuts

Statistics of internet users in Congo 

Furthermore, 2.24 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were using the Internet in January 2024; the country’s Internet penetration rate was 36.2% of the entire population at that time and was expected to rise to 62.48% by the end of 2024.

Furthermore, it is projected that in 2024, the Republic of the Congo’s 4G network coverage will reach 100%, while 3G network coverage will reach 98.85%.

Not only is the Republic of the Congo leading the 5G race in Central Africa thanks to MTN Congo, but the country has started construction on a $72.8 million, three-story data centre that should be completed by December 2024, making it the sole data centre in the region.