• Chad has launched a 34-member committee to modernize its digital legal framework within 45 days.
• Authorities aim to align regulations with emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and cloud computing.
• The reforms seek to strengthen cybersecurity, data protection, and digital sovereignty.

The government has initiated an update of its digital legal framework to align it with rapid technological and usage changes. Haliki Choua Mahamat, Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy, and Digitalization of Administration, officially installed a 34-member committee in N'Djamena on Monday, April 27.

The minister stated that existing laws have become outdated due to rapid changes in the digital sector and called for fast and effective reforms. He assigned the committee a 45-day deadline to propose modernized, practical, and directly applicable legal texts.

Moreover, the committee will rely on previous work conducted by ARCEP. It will harmonize and modernize existing provisions to equip the country with a legal framework suited to current digital challenges.

The committee’s creation follows earlier policy initiatives. Boukar Michel, former Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Economy, and Digitalization of Public Administration, previously announced that Chad was drafting a Digital Code. This code incorporates international standards in cybersecurity, data protection, and internet governance, thereby aligning Chad with global best practices.

In October 2025, the National Assembly of Chad ratified an ordinance adopted earlier that year. The ordinance amended a provision of the 2014 law governing electronic communications and postal activities. The reform aims to modernize the legal framework, promote competition, improve network coverage, and strengthen national digital sovereignty.

These reforms occur amid accelerating digital transformation driven by new technologies and expanding use cases. Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into digital applications, but it also introduces significant risks.

Without clear regulations, actors can use AI to spread misinformation on social media, create deceptive content such as deepfakes, and facilitate increasingly sophisticated online fraud.

Furthermore, technologies such as Cloud computing and Blockchain, along with the rise of digital platforms, are intensifying cybersecurity and data protection challenges. The current legal gap can expose users, businesses, and institutions to higher risks of cyberattacks, digital fraud, and misuse of personal data.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum