QoS in Chad: Airtel under pressure – again

Details: Vaughan O'Grady; Category: Regulation; 30 June 2026; 735 views

The Chad QoS saga, pitting authorities against operators, continues. This time operator Airtel Chad has presented a new investment plan to improve service quality as Chadian authorities intensify pressure on telecom operators over network performance.

This development apparently follows a meeting on Wednesday, 24 June between Chad’s Telecommunications Minister Haliki Choua Mahamat and a delegation from Airtel Africa.

Brahim Nallar, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Chad, has reportedly said the operator plans to strengthen its technical infrastructure to improve network quality and introduce new services. However, the company has not gone into further detail, and government officials are sceptical because they say the company has repeatedly announced similar initiatives without fully implementing them.

Indeed, as we reported at the time, in September 2025 Airtel Chad said it was planning a XAF50 billion (about US$90 million) investment plan aimed at improving network quality and expanding digital connectivity across the country. This was originally scheduled for completion this month.

As the Ecofin news agency points out, Chadian authorities have reportedly urged Airtel Chad to deliver measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, service availability and network coverage, particularly in remote areas.

The telecommunications minister has also urged the operator to revise its operating model, notably the submission of many operational decisions to group headquarters for approval, which, he says, delays the resolution of problems. He is also apparently worried about a reliance on subcontractors to manage equipment, technical staff and site maintenance.

He has also said that Airtel Chad should connect to the national backbone deployed by the government, an issue on the agenda since last year. Authorities will soon commission the fibre links serving the eastern and northern parts of the country.

This isn’t just about Airtel. As we reported last week, Chad’s government has warned Maroc Telecom-owned operator Moov Africa Chad to improve network performance, amid growing frustration over what officials described as the deteriorating quality of mobile services across the country.

Fines for repeated poor service are already part of potential sanctions, which could extend to replacing the local management teams of the country's two main telecom operators if service quality does not improve significantly.