DRC Advances Satellite Ambitions with New China Unicom Deal

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is accelerating its efforts to bridge its digital divide through satellite technology, signing a new memorandum of understanding with Unicom Airnet, a subsidiary of China Unicom, to explore a potential telecommunications partnership.

Announced on Tuesday, April 7 by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the agreement marks a fresh step in the country’s broader ambition to deploy a national satellite system. However, officials have yet to disclose the specific terms or scope of the collaboration.

Expanding Partnerships to Build a National Satellite Network

This latest engagement with China builds on earlier plans involving MonacoSat. In November 2024, the DRC signed an MoU with the Monaco-based satellite operator to develop a national satellite telecommunications network through the acquisition of satellite capacity. The project was valued at approximately 400 million Dollars and reportedly backed by secured financing.

Discussions have also involved key industry players, including Thales Alenia Space, MonacoSat’s industrial partner. In August 2025, MonacoSat representatives met with President Félix Tshisekedi to review progress on the initiative, reinforcing the government’s commitment to advancing the project.

At the time, officials emphasized the satellite’s role in expanding high-speed internet access, particularly in rural and underserved regions where terrestrial infrastructure remains limited.

Financial backing has also been explored with regional institutions. Fidelity Bank Nigeria expressed interest in supporting the initiative, aligning with the government’s broader plan to mobilize funding and partnerships for digital development. The DRC has set an ambitious target to invest $1.5 billion in its digital sector by 2030.

China’s Growing Role in Africa’s Space Sector

The MoU with China Unicom highlights Beijing’s expanding influence in Africa’s space and telecommunications sectors. China has established multiple bilateral space partnerships across the continent, supporting satellite financing, deployment, and infrastructure development.

Past projects include Nigeria’s NigComSat-1 and its successor NigComSat-1R, as well as Algeria’s Alcomsat-1. These initiatives demonstrate China’s full-service approach covering design, financing, launch, and technical capacity building. The new partnership raises questions about whether the DRC will shift away from its MonacoSat agreement or pursue multiple satellite partnerships in parallel.

Satellite Technology to Close the Connectivity Gap

Satellite-based connectivity is seen as a key solution to the DRC’s vast digital divide. With difficult terrain and limited infrastructure, traditional network expansion remains costly and slow. Satellite systems can provide wide coverage, reaching remote and rural populations that remain underserved by terrestrial networks. According to the GSMA, such alternatives are essential as the cost of deploying traditional infrastructure increases in low-density areas.

Connectivity data underscores the challenge: mobile network coverage in 2024 reached about 75% for 2G, 55% for 3G, and 45% for 4G, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Yet actual usage remains low, with mobile penetration at 44.3% and internet penetration at just 19.7%.

The GSMA estimates that approximately 40 million people in the DRC lacked access to mobile internet in 2023 highlighting the scale of the challenge the government aims to address through its satellite strategy.