African telecommunications and media regulation

Regulatory authorities in Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Burkina Faso are implementing new measures to oversee telecommunications and media services.

In Gabon and the DRC, efforts have focused on improving telecommunications service quality. Gabon’s ARCEP introduced tools such as the ‘DQoS Gabon’ application and a reactivated short code to allow consumers to report network issues. Similarly, the DRC’s ARPTC acquired new technical equipment to enable real-time monitoring of telecommunications flows and frequency spectrum management, facilitating documented sanctions for operators failing to meet standards.

In the media sector, regulators in the DRC and Burkina Faso are addressing information dissemination. In the DRC, the CSAC highlighted the importance of information verification to combat disinformation. In Burkina Faso, the CSC authorized the Pan-African News Networks Global (PANNG) to launch web-based television and radio services, a move intended to promote media decolonization by allowing Africans to “tell their own story” via digital platforms.