Central African Republic’s Internet Options Beyond Cameroon: A Question of Feasibility
September 1st 2026
- The Central African Republic remains heavily dependent on Cameroon for international internet access, leaving it vulnerable to outages and commercial disruptions affecting Cameroonian infrastructure.
- A planned connection through the Republic of Congo could provide a second international route, while authorities are also exploring eastern links, including cooperation with South Sudan.
- Diversifying connectivity is technically possible through neighboring regional networks, but new routes will depend on infrastructure availability, costs, cross-border agreements and commercial arrangements.
Last week, a fiber cut in Cameroon disrupted internet service in the Central African Republic, according to the Ministry of Digital Economy. The incident highlighted the country’s dependence on Cameroonian infrastructure to reach submarine cables. It also raised questions about the options available to diversify its international connectivity routes.
Cameroon-Congo, the Current Options
Cameroon is the Central African Republic’s main gateway to submarine cables, via a link built as part of the Central Africa Backbone (CAB) project. That dependence leaves the country exposed to outages affecting Cameroon’s network. Such disruptions can result from infrastructure deterioration or vandalism and directly affect connectivity in the Central African Republic. The dependence also creates commercial risks. Camtel, Cameroon’s incumbent telecom operator, can suspend transmission over unpaid bills or disputes with its partners. In May 2025, the company cut Chad’s internet access over unpaid bills owed by SOTEL before a ministerial mission to Yaoundé led to an agreement.
The Central Africa Backbone project also includes plans for an interconnection with the Republic of Congo, which is served by two submarine cables, WACS and 2Africa. However, that link has yet to become operational, according to Gauthier Guezewane Gbowé, an adviser at the Central African Republic’s Ministry of Digital Economy, in an article shared by the ministry on August 30.
He said the Owando-Ouesso section, currently under construction in northern Congo, should provide the Central African Republic with a “second gateway” once completed. But because the fiber network is jointly operated by Congo Telecom and Silicone Connect, the alternative raises questions about how the interconnection with Bangui would be managed, as well as pricing and guarantees of service continuity.
Central African authorities acknowledge the need to diversify access routes. Gauthier Guezewane Gbowé referred to a “shift toward the east” to improve the country’s connectivity. He provided no further details, but the statement follows the country’s recent engagement with South Sudan. The project, announced in May 2026, is expected to be implemented by the Central African Agency for Digital Development (ACDD) and delegated operator MTN. No additional information has been disclosed, including the implementation schedule, planned route or technical arrangements.
Other Possibilities Linked to the Country’s Geographic Position
The Central African Republic’s landlocked position does not leave it without alternatives. In theory, additional international routes could be developed eastward, northward, westward or southward by connecting to terrestrial networks that ultimately reach submarine cable landing points in neighboring or nearby countries. To the east, Sudan, which borders the Central African Republic, is connected to submarine cables in the Red Sea. Kenya, which could potentially be reached through South Sudan, with which the Central African Republic has already signed a cooperation agreement, is served by several submarine cables, including 2Africa, SEACOM, EASSy, TEAMS and PEACE.
To the north, Egypt is a major hub for submarine cables connecting Europe, Asia and Africa, with about 20 systems crossing its territory. Libya, on the Mediterranean, is connected to six submarine cables, while Algeria is served by five systems linking it to Mediterranean and European networks. To the west, Nigeria has one of the largest concentrations of submarine cables in West Africa, with eight connections. The country is served by MainOne, Equiano, Glo-1, WACS and 2Africa. To the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo is mainly served by two submarine cables, WACS and 2Africa.
These remain theoretical options, based largely on geography and the submarine cable infrastructure available in surrounding countries. Making any of those routes viable would depend on several factors, including distance, available terrestrial infrastructure, relations between the countries, interconnection costs and technical feasibility.
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