The Democratic Republic of Congo has picked a fight with one of Africa’s biggest telecom giants. The country’s regulator, Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Télécommunications du Congo (ARPTC), has accused MTN Group of illegally providing mobile and internet services inside the DRC without a licence, including in rebel-held areas like Goma and Rutshuru.
In a strongly worded statement, the regulator said it has “well-documented” evidence and has referred the matter to unnamed national and international bodies. It warned that the alleged unauthorised operations violate Congolese law and could expose the company to prosecution. The statement followed a meeting convened by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, who reportedly addressed what she described as digital intrusions and the unlawful use of Congolese frequencies by a foreign operator.
MTN, however, is pushing back. The South Africa-based telco says it does not operate a mobile network in the DRC and respects the country’s sovereignty. In a statement to Connecting Africa, MTN said it continues to engage stakeholders through the appropriate channels but firmly denied running services in the country.
