Chad’s telecommunications authorities plan to accelerate infrastructure sharing between mobile operators Airtel and Moov Africa as part of a broader effort to improve the quality of telecom services in the country.
The issue was discussed at a meeting held on Thursday, 4 June, between Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalisation Minister Haliki Choua Mahamat and senior officials from both operators. Discussions focused mainly on deteriorating service quality and the “zero tolerance” policy the authorities have adopted toward service failures in the sector.
At the meeting, the minister urged both operators to overcome their differences and strengthen cooperation in the use of telecom infrastructure. He recalled the significant investments made by the state in fibre optic deployment and the installation of 200 new transmission sites across the country. Both operators were encouraged to use the infrastructure jointly to improve network coverage and the quality of services available to the population.
The Chadian authorities’ initiative comes amid growing adoption of telecom infrastructure sharing across Africa. An increasing number of countries and operators are embracing the approach, while organisations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the GSMA view it as a key tool for narrowing the digital divide.
In a document published on its website, the ITU notes that mobile infrastructure sharing can reduce network deployment costs, particularly in rural areas and less commercially attractive markets. The approach can also facilitate the adoption of new technologies and accelerate the rollout of mobile broadband services.
The organisation distinguishes two main forms of sharing: passive sharing, which covers physical infrastructure such as sites, buildings and masts while operators maintain separate networks; and active sharing, which involves more sensitive network elements such as antennas, base stations and certain core network components.
Despite its potential, infrastructure sharing faces several challenges across the continent. According to an Ecofin Pro report published in December 2024, the two main obstacles are operators’ efforts to strengthen their market positions and regulators’ concerns about the risk of collusion.
The first challenge stems from operators’ strategy of maximising market share to expand their subscriber base and increase revenues. In that context, while sharing physical infrastructure is generally accepted, sharing strategically important assets or opening previously exclusive areas to competitors remains more contentious, even when financial compensation is provided.
The second challenge lies in regulators’ caution regarding obligations to share active infrastructure. They fear such arrangements could encourage coordination between operators in ways that weaken competition or even facilitate collusive behaviour.
The report also notes that mandatory infrastructure sharing can sometimes produce counterproductive effects by limiting operators’ engagement to meeting regulatory requirements. Such frameworks may also reduce incentives to invest in network expansion, modernisation and innovation. By contrast, in environments where sharing arrangements are largely voluntary or subject to lighter regulation, more effective and economically sustainable mechanisms tend to emerge over time.
... Chad Accelerates Telecom Infrastructure Sharing to Improve Network Quality and Coverage ... Naijaonpoint.