The figures show both the progress and the gap that remains. A 2026 GSMA report found that 86% of the population was covered by 4G networks, while only 19% used mobile internet. Around 70% of people living within mobile broadband coverage remained offline, with the cost of devices and services, limited digital skills and regulatory barriers among the factors restricting wider adoption.

Closing that gap could have significant economic consequences. GSMA estimates that targeted reforms could connect more than 540,000 additional people to mobile internet by 2030, generating FCFA 870 billion ($1.5 billion) in additional economic value and more than 144,000 jobs. The report also points to mobile money and digital financial services as potential drivers of productivity and economic diversification. That puts affordability, skills and business adoption alongside network construction on Congo’s digital agenda.

Public investment is already moving in that direction. The World Bank’s $100 million Congo Digital Acceleration Project supports the policy and regulatory foundations for the digital economy, digital skills and the expansion of connectivity to previously underserved areas. The program has already supported new 2G and 3G coverage in dozens of localities, according to the World Bank.

The development of a national data center adds another layer to the country’s digital infrastructure. Construction of the facility in Brazzaville’s Bacongo district began in 2024 and was nearing completion in September 2026. Authorities said the center is expected to become operational before the end of the year. Co-financed by the Congolese government and the African Development Bank, it is intended to store, host and process government data and applications developed locally.

The project also illustrates how closely digital infrastructure is tied to other parts of the economy. Engineers are examining a combination of the national grid and solar power to provide a more resilient electricity supply to the facility, following concerns over interruptions to the power system.

The data center forms part of the Central Africa Backbone program, which has also supported more than 600 kilometers of fiber linking Congo with Cameroon and the Central African Republic. The infrastructure provides a foundation for greater local data hosting and digital services, while creating new requirements for cybersecurity, technical skills, reliable power and commercial data services.

For businesses, those capabilities matter because connectivity becomes economically useful through what companies and institutions are able to do with it. Digital payments can make transactions easier to manage. Online platforms can connect suppliers and customers. Data systems can improve logistics and public administration, while reliable connectivity can support operations in sectors such as energy, mining, transport and manufacturing.

Those issues will increasingly intersect with Congo’s wider investment agenda. The country is developing its oil and gas resources, expanding gas monetization and seeking investment in infrastructure and power. Digital infrastructure can support each of these areas, from industrial monitoring and financial services to logistics and government systems.

That broader investment landscape will be a focus of the Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2027, taking place in Brazzaville from 1–3 June 2027. Organized by Energy Capital & Power in collaboration with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, the forum will bring together investors, project developers, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss opportunities across energy, infrastructure, gas monetization and power generation.

For digital companies and infrastructure investors, the demand for data centers, reliable power, connectivity, cybersecurity and digital services will increasingly follow the growth of the physical economy. Congo’s next digital gains will depend on how effectively infrastructure is connected to economic activity. The country has built much of the foundation. The next task is to get more people and businesses using it, and to create the conditions for that usage to generate investment, jobs and productivity.