breaking news
DRC: Internet, average revenue per subscriber is $1.61 per month
In DR Congo, telecom companies generate an average revenue per subscriber (ARPU) for mobile Internet of USD 1.61 per month. This official June 2019 figure remains low compared to other sub-Saharan African markets. Nigeria is over $7 and the Republic of Congo is around $10.
According to a GSMA study published in 2018, this low level of ARPU is largely due to the low level of per capita income, which is about one-third of the sub-Saharan African average, i.e. US$500 and the limited penetration of 3G and 4G services of 17% in June 2019 (a rate that is still below the regional average above 20%).
This requires the Congolese Government to implement reforms to encourage investment to boost connectivity and accessibility to this universal service.
They are still hampered by the slow deployment of 3G and 4G technologies, deficiencies in transport and electricity infrastructure that raise the costs of installing networks across the country, and heavy taxation with a higher tax rate of 54.6% compared to 46.8% in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
All these factors currently make access to Internet services limited and costly.
While the lack of accessibility is largely due to low per capita income, this study by GSMA and Ernst & Young also reveals that it also reflects a high tax burden on the use of services (26% of the cost of owning mobile phones in the DRC) and devices (44% of the cost) compared to other countries in the region.
In other words, since the purchasing power of the average Congolese citizen is already low, tax taxation increases the costs of access to services and does not encourage investment in the sector.
Because, the State levies 20% customs duties on each smartphone entering the DRC as much as any SIM card. They are then charged 16% VAT as much as any recharging of units. Finally, a 10% excise duty is payable on telecommunications services including voice calls (call duration) and Internet (number of bytes).
Reminder. Average revenue per user (ARPU) is this indicator of the average monthly revenue that a subscription generates for its operator over a period of one month. It applies in particular to voice calls, mobile money and mobile data.
In the second quarter of the current year, global mobile Internet ARPU increased by around 14.81%. In other words, the average consumption of a subscriber increased from USD 1.40 to USD 1.61 per month.
Mobile Internet subscriptions were respectively around 18.381 billion megabytes in the second quarter, compared to 11.990 billion megabytes in the previous quarter, an increase of 53.30% over the same period.
Eric TSHIKUMA
The NBA is mourning the loss of one of its greatest defensive icons. Dikembe Mutombo, the former 7-foot-2 center, passed away at the age of 58 due to a brain cancer, as reported by The Athletic on Monday, September 30.
A defensive record-holder
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo left an indelible mark on the NBA with his exceptional defensive skills. During his career, he won the Defensive Player of the Year award four times (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), a record he shares with Ben Wallace and Rudy Gobert. Gobert, in achieving this feat, highlighted the legacy Mutombo left on the game.
Drafted in 1991 by the Denver Nuggets, Mutombo went on to play for several notable teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and finally the Houston Rockets, where he retired in 2009.
A life of commitment beyond basketball
Although Mutombo never won an NBA championship, with two finals losses (in 2001 with the 76ers and 2003 with the Nets), he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. Beyond his impressive sports career, he dedicated his life to humanitarian efforts, particularly in Africa. He worked tirelessly to develop basketball across the continent and to help those in need.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praised his contributions in a statement: “Dikembe dedicated his life to helping others. He was not only a great player but also a global ambassador for basketball and a humanitarian. His commitment to the community, especially in his native Congo, will be forever remembered.”
Mutombo’s legacy continues to inspire generations of players and humanitarians around the world.
ZoomEco
Africa is home to 83% of the world’s non-electrified population. A thundering paradox, given the continent’s immense hydroelectric potential.
The continent faces a shortage of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. A think tank dedicated to the development of long-term public and energy policies points out that this is holding back the momentum of individuals and companies alike.
According to the experts, the pace of electrification needs to triple in order to absorb this deficit, rethink several economic models, and put Africans on the path to prosperity.
Dynamic project vehicles on the move
The World Bank Group has pledged to connect 250 million people to electricity, while the African Development Bank (AfDB) will do the same for a further 50 million.
The World Bank Group’s investments are already providing the impetus needed to reach the target, illustrated in its ambitious “Mission 300” program.
East Africa
On Thursday September 25, 2024, Bruno Tshibangu Kabaji, Managing Director of the Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Investissements (ANAPI), and Hesham El Mekwad, the Egyptian ambassador accredited to the Democratic Republic of Congo, exchanged views on investment and trade issues.
The Egyptian diplomat was accompanied by Adham Thabet, development cooperation advisor at the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Discussions between the two personalities focused in particular on the role of ANAPI as the body responsible for supporting investors in the DRC.
While stressing the need to increase economic and commercial cooperation between Egypt and the DRC, the two parties encouraged Egyptian investors to step up their presence in several fields in the DRC, notably energy, transport, infrastructure and agriculture, fisheries and livestock.
With this in mind, the Egyptian Ambassador expressed the wish to establish regular contacts with ANAPI to support this mutual ambition.
Nadine FULA
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