Major telecom tower operators commit $200+ million to DR Congo infrastructure expansion

Eastcastle Infrastructure and Helios Towers are committing more than $200 million to expand mobile infrastructure in DR Congo, betting on rising data demand and mining sector growth in one of Africa's largest underdeveloped telecom markets. Eastcastle is investing $100 million over 18 months following nearly $200 million spent since entering the market five years ago, while Helios announced a $110 million investment representing its 2026 capex—a 77% increase from the previous year and its largest annual Congo investment in five years. About one-third of demand comes from the southern copper-and-cobalt mining belt, where operations depend on connectivity. DR Congo's mobile market generated $2.4 billion in revenue in 2025, with data revenue surpassing voice for the first time by the fourth quarter at over 55% of total telecom revenue. The country has only 5,000-6,000 towers despite 110 million people and 70+ million mobile subscriptions, indicating substantial room for expansion. Industry experts note that while most African countries build hundreds of towers annually, DR Congo and Nigeria are now building thousands, driven by the shift toward data and mobile money services as primary revenue drivers.