06 April 2022

Côte d’Ivoire will roll out 5G in 2023, according to Kanvoli Kacou Bi Djè, the director of legal affairs and international cooperation at the Ministry of Digital Economy, Telecommunications and Innovation.

Making the announcement Tuesday, February 22, 2022, during the “All About” discussion forum initiated by the Government Information and Communication Center (CICG), the minister said that the government has already adopted the roadmap for the deployment of this mobile technology.

The implementation of 5G in Côte d’Ivoire is expected to support the accelerated digital transformation brought about by the global Covid-19 pandemic since 2020, with the technology offering more opportunities for businesses operating in all areas of activity. 5G will also provide high-speed Internet connectivity to populations to meet the new digital consumption habits developed during the pandemic. These include streaming, online video games, telecommuting, cloud, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things.

In December 2021, mobile operator MTN began testing 5G in the west African nation. The company has begun discussions with the Ministry of Digital Economy,

Telecommunications and Innovation and the Côte d’Ivoire ICT/Telecom Regulatory Authority (ARTCI) to define the spectrum to be allocated to this new technology.

The date for the introduction of 5G coincided with the 2023 African Cup of Nations, which is hosted by Côte d’Ivoire. The authorities intend to use 5G for “everything that will be broadcasting this event,” among other applications, said Djè.