Chad, Niger Advance Fiber Optic Interconnection Under Backbone Project
TLDR
- Chad is moving to reduce its dependence on Cameroon for internet access by advancing a cross-border fiber optic link with Niger
- The Trans-Saharan Fiber Optic Backbone (DTS) interconnection with Niger is viewed as Chad’s first major step toward digital resilience
- Niger has already completed 97% of its 1,031 km section, with final delivery expected in September 2025
Chad is moving to reduce its dependence on Cameroon for internet access by advancing a cross-border fiber optic link with Niger. From June 17 to 20, a delegation led by Chad’s Minister of Telecommunications, Dr. Boukar Michel, visited Niger to progress plans for the Trans-Saharan Fiber Optic Backbone (DTS) — a regional infrastructure initiative designed to connect six Sahelian countries.
The project aims to diversify Chad’s international connectivity options. Since 2015, Chad has relied on a single route via Cameroon’s Kribi port, which has experienced repeated disruptions, including a major outage in October 2024. The DTS interconnection with Niger is viewed as Chad’s first major step toward digital resilience.
Niger has already completed 97% of its 1,031 km section, with final delivery expected in September 2025. Chad still has 100 km remaining out of 609 km, with no updated timeline confirmed.
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Key Takeaways
The DTS project will connect Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mali, and Mauritania, allowing landlocked states like Chad to access undersea cables through multiple coastal gateways. Algeria and Nigeria already have several submarine cable links, offering routing redundancy that Chad currently lacks. While waiting for the Niger route, Chad signed an agreement with Cameroon in May 2025 to improve its existing connection, including a plan to raise network capacity to 100 Gbit/s and deploy monitoring tools to enhance security. The deal also covers SOTEL debt restructuring and infrastructure upgrades like the Nana-Mbéré and Yagoua-Bongor links. Ultimately, the DTS project is seen as the most viable long-term solution for internet sovereignty in Chad. Once operational, it will provide a second international access point, reducing vulnerability, supporting regional integration, and enabling participation in the growing digital economy of the Sahel and West Africa.
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