ETC Reaches Over 52,000 Users Across West Africa in Landmark Sahel Connectivity Project
Beyond funding, Luxembourg also provided technical expertise, support to solution architecture, networking infrastructure, and remote troubleshooting throughout implementation.
The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC ), a global network of organisations that provide shared communications services in humanitarian emergencies, has wrapped up a five-year initiative to bridge the digital divide across the volatile Sahel region, serving more than 52,000 users across Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania between 2021 and 2026.
In its final project report, the ETC extended appreciation directly to Luxembourg for its central role in making the programme possible. “The ETC extends its appreciation to the Government of Luxembourg for its generous US$1.2 million contribution, as well as the technical expertise and solutions that made this project possible,” the report states.
Beyond funding, Luxembourg also provided technical expertise, support to solution architecture, networking infrastructure, and remote troubleshooting throughout implementation.
The report separately acknowledges technical contributions from Ericsson Response, which supplied Wi-Fi access points and assisted with hotspot configuration during deployment, and from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MCF, formerly MSB), which contributed standby partner expertise including ICT installation, local team training, and the development of standard operating procedures. Neither is cited as a financial contributor.
The project established three ETC Services Centres offering internet access, phone booths, mobile charging, and digital literacy training. The first opened in Diffa, Niger, in July 2023, followed by a second in Dori, Burkina Faso, in August 2024, and a third in Mbera refugee camp, Mauritania, in April 2026. User satisfaction across the Niger and Burkina Faso centres was near-universal, with all surveyed users in Niger reporting improved access to critical information, and 95 percent of users in Burkina Faso saying the services significantly improved their access to health, education, and financial resources.
The Sahel project has since informed the development of additional connectivity centres in Tahoua and Maradi, Niger, and directly shaped the Connectivity as Aid (CAA) Standards, a global humanitarian framework that recognises connectivity as a core enabler of dignity and access to information in crisis settings.
