Wireless Networks

Digital development efforts ramp up in Cameroon and Madagascar

Expansion projects have been announced in the past week by both Cameroon and Madagascar aimed, in part, at delivering better connectivity to isolated areas.

Cameroon’s state-owned operator Camtel last week announced a syndicated financing agreement worth CFA44.884 billion (about US$ 81.2 million) with Commercial Bank Cameroon (CBC). The funds will support the first phase of its Mobile Network Expansion (MNE) project, designed to improve service quality and expand coverage nationwide.

The programme targets congested infrastructure and aims to extend 2G, 3G, and 4G coverage to regional and departmental capitals, university cities, strategic economic zones, and rural areas with limited connectivity. 

According to Ecofin, the financing forms part of a larger investment plan valued at CFA52.2 billion (about US$94.4 million).

It also quotes 2026 information from DataReportal showing that of 29 million active mobile lines by the end of 2025 (96.4% of the population), many remain limited to voice and SMS. Mobile internet penetration at the time stood at only 12.6 million users (41.9%).

Meanwhile Madagascar’s Ministry of Digital Development, Postal and Telecommunications (MNDPT) says it has officially launched the Rapid Rural Transformation (RRT) and Smart Village initiative along the Vohitsova - Antanimora development road, aimed at bringing digital services closer to rural communities in southern Madagascar. 

According to TechAfrica News, this is linked to a strategic partnership between the MNDPT and the World Food Programme (PAM).

The project is part of a broader government policy to reduce the digital divide and enhance access to public services in remote areas. Six sites in the Anosy region (in the southeast) and Androy (the most southerly region of Madagascar) are now fully operational, featuring hybrid connectivity through satellite communication and off-grid solar power, ensuring uninterrupted services even in the most isolated communities. Each Smart Village includes shared community hubs providing digital services and public affairs councils to facilitate citizen access to government support.

The RRT and Smart Village programme also addresses local economic development and production through offerings like  solar-powered refrigeration and access for farmers to real-time market information.

TechAfrica News says the project is claimed to have so far benefited over 10,000 residents, creating local employment opportunities, training 1,200 youth in digital skills, and increasing commercial activities around the digital hubs by 20%.



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