Equatorial Guinea Accelerates Launch of State Telecom Operator Telgesa
June 30th 2026
- Equatorial Guinea has ordered an accelerated rollout of the new state-owned telecom operator, Telgesa, to address persistent network quality and coverage problems.
- Vice President Nguema Obiang Mangue instructed GETESA to submit an action plan and ordered the Transport, Telecommunications and Civil Aviation Ministry to fast-track Telgesa’s establishment.
- The proposed project includes a $50 million investment by EGSA Loita, 260 telecom towers and a target of covering 90% of the national territory.
The government wants to speed up the creation of Telgesa, which officials say will reinforce the telecommunications sector and improve the quality of services available to consumers.
Vice President Nguema Obiang Mangue discussed the project with incumbent operator GETESA during a meeting on Friday, June 26. During the meeting, he instructed GETESA to submit, within the coming days, an action plan to improve network coverage and service quality across the country.
Moreover, the vice president directed the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Civil Aviation to accelerate the establishment of the new company. He also requested the rapid submission of the project’s investment plan, cost estimates and deployment timetable.
The government’s call for faster implementation comes as service quality continues to deteriorate and network coverage remains inadequate. Measures announced in recent months have failed to deliver the expected improvements.
According to the national news agency, the vice president criticized GETESA’s new management team during the meeting for failing to achieve meaningful progress in either network coverage or signal quality.
“Citizens cannot continue to endure dropped calls, coverage problems or unreliable service. Telecommunications have become an essential tool for studying, working, conducting business and communicating. Therefore, we have a duty to modernize the network and provide a service that meets the country’s needs,” the vice president said in a post on X after the meeting.
The new operator will replace GECOMSA, the state-owned telecommunications company that has struggled operationally. Earlier, in January 2026, EGSA Loita approached the government to propose a partnership to develop the project. The company presented a $50 million investment proposal under which the state would initially hold a 49% stake.
The project also includes the construction of 260 telecommunications towers, with the objective of extending network coverage to 90% of the national territory. These proposals convinced the vice president. According to the national news agency, he urged the Prime Minister’s Office to accelerate negotiations so that the company can establish operations in Equatorial Guinea before the end of 2026.
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