The Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Nguema Obiang Mangue, met with GETESA's management on October 7 at the State Headquarters in Malabo to discuss the state of the country's telecommunications infrastructure. The meeting focused on the delayed implementation of an agreement with Huawei to expand and optimize the national network. The project has been slowed down due to payment delays from the Ministry of Finance to GETESA.
The Vice President has instructed the Ministry of Finance to investigate the situation and expedite the financing file necessary to unblock pending actions. The strategy involves intervening in existing infrastructure, particularly in urban areas with high user concentrations. The goal is to optimize current infrastructure before extending improvements nationwide. This approach aims to enhance the quality of the signal and reduce service incidents.
As part of the measures to generate resources for the upgrade, GETESA plans to rescind non-essential maintenance contracts by December. This move is expected to save over 262 million CFA francs monthly. The instruction is that these resources be directly reinvested in telecommunications infrastructure, focusing on improving signal quality and reducing service incidents.
The plan also includes a review of operational costs and personnel structure to eliminate unproductive expenses and concentrate resources on network functioning and strengthening. The priority, according to the Vice President, is to ensure the correct functioning of the current system and then progressively expand national coverage.
The measures announced prioritize the optimization of existing infrastructure as the first step in a broader strategy to reinforce telephone services and improve coverage in high-demand areas. The upgrade aims to address the current challenges facing the telecommunications sector in Equatorial Guinea.
The agreement with Huawei, signed earlier, aims to enhance the country's telecommunications infrastructure. However, the implementation has faced significant delays due to financial constraints. The government's intervention is expected to help expedite the project and improve the overall quality of services provided to citizens.
The planned upgrades and cost-saving measures are expected to significantly improve the quality and coverage of GETESA's services. The company's efforts to optimize its infrastructure and reduce expenses will help ensure the long-term sustainability of the national telecommunications network.
Key points
- GETESA to save 262 million CFA francs monthly by cutting non-essential contracts.
- The company plans to reinvest the saved funds in national telecoms infrastructure upgrades.
- The strategy aims to improve signal quality, reduce service incidents, and expand national coverage.
