Chad 🇹🇩 and Cameroon 🇨🇲 move to deepen cross-border fiber optic cooperation

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Officials from Chad and Cameroon are stepping up efforts to strengthen their collaboration in the telecommunications sector. On May 14, 2025, a delegation from N’Djamena was received in Yaoundé to explore ways to jointly manage cross-border fiber optic infrastructure, as part of the Central Africa Backbone (CAB) project.

Regional interconnectivity and shared infrastructure 🔗

Both countries are already connected by a shared fiber optic network—but they’re looking to go beyond basic infrastructure sharing. The talks focused on pooling resources, improving regional interconnectivity, and enhancing digital service quality for citizens.

One key concern: Chad’s digital sovereignty. As a landlocked nation, it depends heavily on its neighbors to access undersea cables that connect to the global internet.

According to Cameroon’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng, the meeting aimed to address shared technical challenges such as network interconnection, service continuity, critical infrastructure management, and regional pricing harmonization.

Financial tensions in the background 💰

This high-level meeting comes amid financial strain between the two countries. Chad’s national telecom operator, SOTEL Tchad, is reportedly behind on payments to Cameroon’s telecom provider CAMTEL, which manages the network on the Cameroonian side. The size of the debt has not been disclosed, but it was part of the discussions between Chad’s telecom minister, Boukar Michel, and his Cameroonian counterpart.

A shared digital future for Central Africa 🌍

Despite the financial friction, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to building a lasting partnership based on concrete technical agreements and stronger network interoperability. Their common goal: delivering more seamless, reliable, and affordable connectivity to the region’s users.

This strategic move could also set an example for other Central African nations involved in regional interconnection projects. Chad and Cameroon are positioning themselves as key players in driving digital transformation across the subregion.

💬 Do you think partnerships like this can actually improve internet quality across Central Africa? Share your thoughts in the comments! 😊