DRC: Eastcastle seeks up to $59 million from the IFC to expand its telecom towers
May 1st 2026
The DRC aims to become a regional digital hub by 2030, with a roadmap that prioritizes infrastructure expansion and financial inclusion.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is considering providing up to $59 million in financing to telecom tower operator Eastcastle Infrastructure to fund the expansion of its network in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The announcement was made on Monday, April 27.
Specifically, the IFC plans to reactivate an existing $30 million debt commitment and add up to $29 million in new blended finance. The remaining financing, part of an overall program estimated at $180 million, will need to be raised from other investors.
These funds will be used to finance the deployment and operation of new telecommunications towers across the Democratic Republic of Congo. This infrastructure should allow several mobile operators to share the same equipment, rather than each building their own towers.
According to the latest data from the Congolese Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ARPTC), the country has approximately 73.9 million active mobile subscriptions for an estimated population of 112.2 million, representing a penetration rate of 65.9%. Mobile internet accounts for approximately 55% of telecom sector revenue, while mobile money penetration is projected to exceed 30% by the end of 2025.
In this context, the expansion of network coverage should enable more users, particularly those without bank accounts, to use mobile phone payment and money transfer services.
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