of debt, provided to Eastcastle to build 767 new towers and rehabilitate 275 existing towers across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (LDC and FCAS). This will improve access to mobile voice and internet services for 1.9m customers improving quality of life and enabling economic growth through enhanced productivity.
SDG 9.C + 8.5 – Increase affordable access to the internet, supporting economic growth and job creation.
Expected impact: 1.9m end users are expected to benefit from more affordable and faster access to mobile and internet services. This will improve quality life and enable economic growth and indirect job creation.
Challenge: The lower market is nascent with limited infrastructure sharing in DRC.
Channel: Increase the number of towers and tenancy ratio in the market. Outcome: Increase competition within the market to improve network coverage and lower prices for consumers.
Mobilised $96m of private sector investment.
Transition risk: Eastcastle intends to add solar where feasible to reduce GHG emissions. Some site locations may still require diesel back up due to grid intermittency and site location.
As part of the due diligence process, six HSES improvements were identified which are now reflected in the Project Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP).
