High-speed broadband will be deployed across Côte d’Ivoire following a multi-year agreement between MTN Côte d’Ivoire and Eutelsat.
The project targets underserved regions where fibre and mobile terrestrial networks remain economically or geographically unfeasible.
The partnership leverages the Eutelsat Konnect high-throughput satellite to extend connectivity to consumer and enterprise segments. A primary focus of the rollout includes establishing community Wi-Fi hotspots to drive digital inclusion in rural areas.
The move is a strategic necessity to maintain market dominance as terrestrial infrastructure reaches saturation in urban centres such as Abidjan, says MTN.
By utilising the Konnect satellite at 7° East, the operator bypasses the high capital expenditure associated with laying fibre in difficult terrain. This allows for a faster nationwide rollout of digital services.
The partnership demonstrates how satellite and terrestrial networks must work in tandem to achieve connectivity at scale across the continent, said Philippe Baudrier, vice president for Africa at Eutelsat.
The agreement follows a 2024 partnership between Eutelsat and Bayobab, the digital infrastructure arm of MTN, which utilised Eutelsat’s OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation.
By layering the Konnect geostationary capacity on top of existing LEO and terrestrial frameworks, MTN is creating a hybrid network.
The move is seen as a defensive measure against the launch of Starlink, which was approved by the national regulator in September 2025.
Unlike the Starlink direct-to-consumer model, the Eutelsat partnership allows MTN to retain control over the customer relationship and billing through MTN Business.
MTN is also competing with Orange Côte d’Ivoire, which launched its Orange Sat service earlier this year through a similar partnership with Eutelsat.
According to Honoré Kouame, general manager of MTN Business Côte d'Ivoire, satellite is a powerful tool required to accelerate coverage.
For the MTN Group, success in Côte d'Ivoire will serve as a model for other regional subsidiaries facing similar infrastructure gaps.
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