Chad has crossed a a new stage in adapting its legal framework to changes technological. On Tuesday 23 December, the Senate adopted a law aimed at better oversee the development of the electronic communications sector, in a context marked by the gradual rise of digital uses and transformation of digital services.

Examined in session plenary, the text ratifies ordinance No. 011/PR/2025 modifying article 18 of the 2014 Electronic Communications Act. This revision intends take into account the rapid changes in the sector and the diversification of services digital technologies and growing challenges related to networks, data and cybersecurity. The law was widely adopted, with 65 votes in favor. out of the 67 registered senators.

This evolution Legislative action comes at a time when digital technology is becoming more and more important visible in the Chadian economy. According to the National Media Office audiovisual media, around 30% of the population, or nearly 5.6 million people, had access to the Internet in 2024. The country also had more than 14 million mobile subscriptions, corresponding to a penetration rate close to 80%. Despite this increase, access to the Internet remains unequal distributed, especially outside major urban centers.

In this context, the bet updating the regulatory framework appears to be an essential lever for structure a digital ecosystem that is still in the process of consolidation. The sector telecommunications, which generated nearly 237 billion FCFA, or about $426.5 million, in 2024, is already a pillar of the economy national, even if its potential remains hampered by constraints infrastructure, coverage and regulation.

Beyond the aspect legal, the authorities have a broader ambition: to strengthen the digital infrastructure security, stimulate innovation and increase the attractiveness of the sector for private investors. The clarification of rules is also seen as a prerequisite for the modernization of services public authorities and to the acceleration of the digitalization of the administration.

The major challenge, however, remains the effective application text. The impact of this reform will depend on the ability of the authorities to enforce the new provisions, to strengthen the resources of regulator and to support operators in their transition. If she is followed by concrete effects, this law could lay the foundations of an ecosystem more structured and more inclusive digital technology in Chad.