Key facts
- COVERAGE
- DR Congo
- NETWORKS
- Airtel
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- United Kingdom
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the DR Congo eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Does a DRC plan work in Brazzaville?
Will I have signal while trekking to see gorillas?
Is mobile data reliable enough for video calls in Kinshasa?
Can I keep a Rwanda eSIM and a DRC eSIM on one phone?
How do I avoid charges from my home operator?
Can I add more data during my stay?
Democratic Republic of the Congo eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the largest countries in Africa, spanning much of the Congo River basin. Kinshasa, the capital, is a vast, energetic city on the south bank of the river, facing Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, on the other side. Lubumbashi in the far south-east is the centre of the copper-mining region, and Kisangani lies far upriver in the rainforest. In the east, Goma sits on the shore of Lake Kivu below the Nyiragongo volcano, near Virunga National Park and its mountain gorillas, while Bukavu, at the southern end of the lake, is the gateway to Kahuzi-Biega and its eastern lowland gorillas. Close to Kinshasa, the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary cares for orphaned bonobos. Most people who travel to the country go for business, mining, diplomatic or humanitarian work, and security conditions vary widely between regions.
A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in the DRC from the moment you land, without a visit to a phone shop. You install it at home, switch it on when you arrive and keep your own SIM for calls and texts. This guide explains the trade-offs, how much data to plan for and what to expect from coverage in a very large country with limited infrastructure outside its cities.
Check travel advice first
Many governments advise against travel to parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in the east, and conditions can change quickly. Read your government's current travel advice before you book, and again before you move between regions. If you travel for an organisation, follow its security procedures and communications plan.
Mobile data is a useful tool in the cities, but it is not a substitute for the radios, satellite phones and check-in routines that organisations working in the country commonly use.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM
Business and humanitarian travellers often combine options. Here is how they compare.
Roaming with your home SIM
Roaming in the DRC is often expensive, and data roaming may be limited depending on your operator. Check your operator's terms for the country specifically before you rely on it.
A local SIM
Local SIMs are widely available in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma and other cities, and registration with identification is required. A local number is useful on longer assignments, for calling local contacts and for mobile money, but setting it up takes time and means removing your home SIM unless your phone has a second slot.
A Spidot eSIM
A Spidot eSIM adds a data line next to your home SIM. You buy a plan online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it before you travel. Plans start from $8.90. Most plans are data-only and do not include a Congolese number; if you need to make calls on the same line, see our Data + calls plans. Having data as soon as you land lets you message your driver or colleagues without waiting for a local SIM.
How much data to plan for
Business trips tend to involve email, messaging and video calls; visitors to the gorilla parks use more for maps and photos. These figures are approximate:
- Messaging: light, and the most dependable way to keep in touch when signal is variable.
- Email and documents: light to moderate, depending on attachments.
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; download offline maps as a backup.
- Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Photo uploads and streaming: moderate to heavy; save large uploads for strong Wi-Fi.
Typical choices
A short business trip to Kinshasa or Lubumbashi with hotel Wi-Fi fits a small or mid-sized fixed data plan. Longer assignments with daily calls and tethering are more comfortable with a larger plan or an unlimited plan, although speed may slow after heavy use.
If you travel in the region regularly, a no-expiry plan lets you keep unused data for the next trip. You can check how much data is left and add more data whenever you have a connection.
Before you go
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home on Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Travel", keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install the eSIM a day or two before departure.
- Download offline maps of Kinshasa and any other cities or regions you will visit.
- Save emergency numbers, your organisation's security contacts and accommodation details offline.
- Carry a power bank and spare cables, as power supply can be unreliable.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM unless you intend to use it.
Arriving in the DRC
Most international flights land at N'djili International Airport, east of central Kinshasa. Lubumbashi and Goma also have airports with regional connections. Visitors heading to Virunga often travel overland from Rwanda, crossing between Gisenyi and Goma, while Bukavu is reached from the Rwandan side at Cyangugu.
When you arrive, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where to find this setting. If it does not connect within a few minutes, switch flight mode on and off once.
From N'djili airport
The drive into central Kinshasa can be long in heavy traffic. Most visitors are met by their hotel, organisation or a trusted driver. Use your data to confirm the pick-up, share your location and let colleagues know you have arrived.
Crossing from Rwanda
If you have been using an eSIM for Rwanda, switch mobile data to your DRC line after you cross. Near the border, around Goma and Bukavu, your phone may still pick up Rwandan networks, so check the network name if data behaves unexpectedly.
Coverage in cities, on the river and in the forest
In Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani and other cities, mobile data generally works for messaging and browsing, though quality varies by neighbourhood and time of day.
Outside the cities, coverage becomes much less reliable:
- The Congo basin rainforest: vast areas of forest have little or no coverage.
- The Congo River: on river journeys, signal is available near towns but absent for long stretches between them.
- National parks: in Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega, coverage is limited inside the parks; lodges may offer Wi-Fi.
- Mining regions: towns in the south-east have coverage, but sites and roads between them can be patchy.
- Rural roads: many roads are unpaved, and gaps in coverage between towns are common.
Plan for interruptions
Even in the cities, power cuts and network interruptions happen. Keep your phone charged, save important documents offline and agree check-in times with colleagues for journeys outside town.
Data on roads, flights and the river
Distances are enormous and road connections between regions are limited, so domestic flights are the usual way to travel between Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma and Kisangani. Save your booking details offline before you fly.
In Kinshasa, most visitors travel with a driver arranged by their hotel or organisation. Traffic can be very heavy, and map apps help estimate journey times. Share your live location with colleagues where appropriate, and follow your organisation's movement rules.
Visiting the gorilla parks
Gorilla trekking in Virunga or Kahuzi-Biega is organised through the parks or licensed operators. Check whether the park is open and follow its security guidance. Download everything you need before heading into the forest and expect to be offline on the trek itself.
Sharing data with a hotspot
Hotel and office Wi-Fi can be slow or interrupted. Your phone's personal hotspot can keep a laptop online for email and calls. It uses the line set for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.
Laptops use far more data than phones. Pause software updates, cloud sync and backups before you tether, and keep an eye on your balance.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
Hotels, cafés and offices may offer Wi-Fi. Treat shared networks with care, particularly for work data.
- Use your eSIM data for banking and sensitive logins.
- Use your organisation's VPN if it provides one.
- Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
- Keep your phone and apps updated and use a strong lock screen.
Practical tips for the DRC
A few general points that help on a work or wildlife trip:
- Currency: the Congolese franc (CDF) is the national currency, and US dollars are widely used, especially for larger amounts. Bring clean, undamaged notes, as worn notes may be refused. Card acceptance is limited outside large hotels.
- Mobile money: many local payments use mobile money linked to Congolese numbers. Without a local line, you will mainly pay in cash.
- Languages: French is the official language. Lingala is widely spoken in Kinshasa and Swahili in the east. An offline French translation pack is useful.
- Photography: do not photograph government buildings, airports, military or police, and ask before photographing people. Rules on photography can be strictly applied.
- Messaging: WhatsApp is widely used for business and personal contact and stays linked to your usual number while the eSIM provides data.
- Discretion: keep your phone out of sight in public when you are not using it, and avoid using it in traffic with the window open.
The DRC on a multi-country trip
Eastern DRC is usually reached through Rwanda or Uganda, and gorilla trips often combine parks in more than one country. In the south, Lubumbashi has close links with Zambia, and Tanzania lies across Lake Tanganyika. To the north is the Central African Republic, and Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo is just across the river from Kinshasa.
Spidot does not currently sell an Africa regional plan, so for multi-country trips the simplest approach is one eSIM per country. Most eSIM phones can store several eSIMs, so install the plans you need before you travel and switch mobile data to the right line when you cross a border.