10 January 2025
Airtel Gabon has obtained the first technology-neutral authorization for the establishment and operation of a fixed network in Gabon.
This agreement was signed by the President of the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP), Célestin Kadjidja, and the CEO of Airtel Gabon, Thomas Herbert Gutjahr, in the presence of the Minister of the Digital Economy, General Bonjean Rodrigue Mbanza.
"The first document is the specifications that establish the rights and obligations of Airtel Gabon for the installation and deployment of a fibre optic FTTH network. The operator will have to respect strict operating conditions in order to guarantee high-speed connectivity, essential in the era of Big Data and artificial intelligence," said Célestin Kadjidja.
The initiative is part of Gabon's digital transformation strategy, in which the provision of quality Internet services plays a key role. It comes just months after the launch of construction work on a 208-kilometre fibre optic network linking Libreville to Port-Gentil. This project, estimated to cost 4.3 billion CFA francs, aims to improve Internet connectivity in these two major Gabonese cities.
This authorization marks the beginning of the offer of high-speed internet services via optical fibre, an innovative solution to ensure reliable and efficient connectivity, both for individuals and businesses, at competitive rates. The new license will allow Airtel Gabon to offer data transport services via microwave beams, thus providing tailor-made connectivity solutions for economic operators throughout the country, including in remote areas.
