Côte d’Ivoire Unveils $68 Million Plan to Bring Internet Access to 575 Rural Communities
Côte d’Ivoire is pushing ahead with a major rural connectivity programme designed to bring reliable digital access to hundreds of underserved communities across the country.
The National Rural Connectivity Programme (PNCR) has a total budget of 38 billion CFA francs, equivalent to about $68 million, and is expected to connect 575 rural localities while expanding access to essential digital services.
First Phase Opens Door to Wider Rural Connectivity
The first phase of the programme was completed with the commissioning of rural connectivity sites in Djebakaha, a village in Korhogo, on August 2, 2024.
The commissioning was led by Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalization, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, who described the project as a powerful transformation for people living in communities that have historically had limited access to digital infrastructure.
According to Konaté, improved connectivity will give rural residents greater opportunities to access online education, remote healthcare, digital businesses and other internet-based services.
The government is now moving beyond the initial phase as it works to extend the programme to more parts of the country.
Second Phase Targets 240 More Localities
The programme’s second phase carries an investment of 18 billion CFA francs and is expected to connect another 240 localities.
The expansion will cover several regions, including Bélier, Poro, Tchologo, Bagoué and Haut-Sassandra, bringing internet connectivity closer to communities outside the country’s major urban centres.
The project is designed to make digital services more accessible while creating new opportunities for residents and businesses in rural areas.
Third Phase to Connect Another 160 Communities
A third phase, backed by an additional 10 billion CFA francs, will extend the network to 160 more localities.
The targeted regions include Indénié-Djuablin, Gboklê, Sud-Comoé, Tonkpi, Kabadougou, Bafing and Worodougou.
Once the planned phases are completed, the PNCR will have reached hundreds of communities that have traditionally been left behind by the country’s digital expansion.
Côte d’Ivoire Steps Up Efforts to Close Digital Gap
With a combined investment of 38 billion CFA francs, the National Rural Connectivity Programme represents one of Côte d’Ivoire’s major efforts to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural populations.
Beyond simply providing internet access, the programme is expected to give rural communities greater access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities and government and digital services.
The expansion could also help businesses in remote areas participate more easily in the digital economy as Côte d’Ivoire continues its broader push toward digital transformation.
