BENYA, the leading digital solutions and ICT infrastructure provider in Egypt and the MEA region signed the shareholders agreement with Société Congolaise des Postes et Télécommunications (SCPT) to establish a new local telecommunications operator in DRC, with the aim to develop the telecommunications infrastructure there. Based on this agreement, BENYA Telecom DRC will be established in partnership between SCPT and Benya to build and operate the national fibre-optic network (NFON) in DRC to connect cities and enable a connection with neighboring countries.
The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), His Excellency Mr. Félix Tshisekedi during his last visit to Egypt between the 1st and 3rd of February 2021. A series of meetings and negotiations with The DRC Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technologies (PT-NTIC), H.E. Mr. Augustin Kibassa Maliba and the leadership of SCPT preceded finalizing the agreement, through which BENYA Telecom DRC, a BENYA subsidiary in the DRC, will be the main operator of the national-fibre optic network in addition to offering tower sharing and data center services in the DRC. Within the context of this strategic partnership, BENYA will expand the access to digital services to the DRC citizens while creating new digital routes in Central Africa.
The DRC Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technologies (PT-NTIC), H.E. Mr. Augustin Kibassa Maliba, said “The Democratic Republic of Congo has a geostrategic position in the center of Africa, which makes it a natural crossroads for trade between North and South Africa as well as East and West. As a result of this position, it should be one of the largest telecommunications and digital data hub in the world, able to link the Mediterranean and the Cape of Good Hope, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Once this project is executed, the DRC will play the pivotal role of connecting the African continent.”
Chairman & CEO of BENYA, Eng. Ahmed Mekky highlighted the importance of this project due to its strategic role in connecting DRC cities and improving the citizens’ accessibility to high-quality and high-speed network services at a low cost. He further affirmed that the project will enhance DRC’s ICT infrastructure capabilities which will accelerate the adoption of digital transformation in the country.
Eng. Ahmed Mekky stressed BENYA’s keenness to empower nations through digital transformation, stating that BENYA Telecom DRC will support both individuals and corporates to achieve business sustainability, improve productivity levels and increase profitability via digital services. “We are proud to be an Egyptian company implementing national development projects in Africa, in alignment with Egypt’s vision to support the growth of Africa especially in the field of telecommunications and information technology.”