Chad’s ARCEP Publishes Results of 15th National Mobile Network Quality Audit

The Authority for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP)  in Chad has officially published the results of its 15th National Audit on the Quality of Mobile Network Services, conducted from September 15 to October 17, 2025. The findings were unveiled on Monday, November 3, 2025, in N’Djamena, during a public presentation attended by Dr. Boukar Michel, Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of the Administration; Dr. Timan Erdimi, Chairman of ARCEP’s Board of Directors; executives from Airtel Chad and Moov Africa Chad; and several key figures in the telecommunications sector.

The audit was initiated following widespread consumer complaints about poor mobile service quality across the country. Many users had reported recurring issues with making calls and accessing the internet, particularly in rural and underserved areas. In response, ARCEP, with support from the international consultancy firm Directique, launched a large-scale field inspection and data collection campaign aimed at assessing the performance of the country’s two main operators — Airtel and Moov Africa.

Over an eight-week period, ARCEP technicians and experts from Directique conducted inspections across the northern, central, and southern regions of Chad, covering more than 10,000 kilometers and collecting data from 563 measurement points in 77 towns and along major roadways. The evaluation included a thorough analysis of network coverage in 2G, 3G, and 4G, call quality, SMS services, internet accessibility, and the condition of telecommunications infrastructure.

The results revealed significant deficiencies in service delivery and infrastructure maintenance across both operators. The audit identified numerous malfunctioning equipment, power supply issues, poorly maintained sites, and even non-operational base stations in several locations. According to ARCEP’s Director General, Haliki Choua Mahamat, the audit was the first of its kind to cover the entire national territory, and its findings demonstrated that the overall quality of mobile services in Chad remains below acceptable standards.

During the presentation, ARCEP emphasized its renewed commitment to transparency and public accountability, stating that the audit results will no longer be confined to internal reports but will be made publicly available. The regulator also highlighted that improving the reliability and coverage of telecommunications networks is essential if Chad is to achieve its digital transformation goals and strengthen its position in the regional digital economy.

The comparative assessment of operators showed that Moov Africa Chad outperformed Airtel Chad, achieving a score of 123.86 out of 200, while Airtel lagged behind with 98.35 out of 200. Although Moov met some of the required performance standards, ARCEP noted that both operators still need to enhance their network capacity, equipment maintenance, and service quality to meet national and international benchmarks.
Recommendations from the Directique team included investments in infrastructure upgrades, improved power management systems, and stronger maintenance protocols to prevent service disruptions. The audit further urged the operators to adopt a customer-centric approach, focusing on reliability, transparency, and timely service improvements.

Concluding the event, the Director General of ARCEP stated that “Chad cannot aspire to regional digital leadership with networks that fail to keep pace with growth and innovation.” The Ministry of Telecommunications reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing stricter oversight and ensuring that citizens benefit from accessible, reliable, and high-quality communication services, aligning with the government’s broader vision for digital inclusion and national connectivity.