DRC accuses MTN of operating without licence near eastern border
Source: Developing Telecoms | Telecom news portal for emerging markets - Developing TelecomsFebruary 16, 2026
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has accused MTN Group of running mobile services inside its territory near the Rwandan and Ugandan borders without a local licence. Authorities say MTN’s signal crosses into eastern DRC and is being used there, which they argue amounts to unlicensed operation on Congolese soil.
The dispute highlights long-running cross-border spectrum issues in the region, where signals from licensed networks in neighbouring countries can spill over national frontiers. DRC officials are pressuring MTN to address the situation and to respect domestic licensing rules, but the company has not publicly detailed any changes to its network or service footprint in response.
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