DRC accuses MTN of operating without licence near eastern border

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has accused MTN Group of illegally providing telecoms services within its territory without the required licence, escalating tensions over spectrum use along its eastern border.

In a statement, the DRC government alleged that services were being delivered in the regions of Goma and Rutshuru without authorisation. Authorities said the matter has been referred to the relevant regulatory bodies and warned they reserve the right to “take all necessary actions to enforce the law” and safeguard the country’s digital sovereignty.

The accusation follows a call by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka for an urgent meeting to address what officials described as the unlawful use of Congolese spectrum by a foreign operator.

MTN Rwanda has been identified as the unit allegedly responsible for signal spillover into eastern DRC. While MTN operates in numerous African markets, it does not hold a licence in the DRC, where Orange, Vodacom, Africell and Airtel are the authorised mobile operators.

The case highlights the sensitivities surrounding cross-border spectrum interference in frontier regions, particularly where network signals can extend beyond national boundaries, raising regulatory and sovereignty concerns.

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