CSquared turns Ganta broadband pilot into commercial service in Liberia

CSquared has converted its Ganta, Liberia broadband and digital skills project from a grant-funded pilot into a paid network, with support from Microsoft and local partners. The move shows whether community connectivity paired with training can sustain itself commercially while expanding digital access in a country where only about 30% of people were online at the end of 2025.

Why it matters: - The Ganta project is meant to test a simple but important idea: broadband works better when communities also get digital skills training. - CSquared says the model can help underserved African communities build digital participation without relying on permanent subsidies. - The service transition matters in Liberia, where only around 30% of people were online at the end of 2025. - The project also aligns with Liberia's push toward AI readiness in education, government and commerce.

What happened: - CSquared completed a community connectivity and digital education programme in Ganta, Liberia, and moved the service from a grant-funded pilot to a commercially operated network. - Microsoft supported the initiative alongside Liberia's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Telecel Liberia, the Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) and local partners. - The project combined community broadband infrastructure with digital skills training. - Community Wi-Fi was deployed across Ganta's busiest areas. - A 20-seat digital learning laboratory was established at J.W. Pearson Public School. - More than 1,200 students received digital skills training. - The introductory service was free before shifting to commercial operation.

The details: - Ganta is a town of about 76,000 near Liberia's border with Guinea. - Residents and businesses in Ganta needed better access to mobile money, education, communication and trade tools. - The community Wi-Fi ran over CSquared's open-access fibre network with Telecel Liberia. - During the free launch period, 33,000 residents connected to the network. - Usage expanded into e-payments, customer communications and daily business operations. - The school lab was the first computer laboratory at J.W. Pearson Public School. - KEEP provided a year of on-site support. - KEEP trained teachers in computer literacy, laboratory management and digital learning before handing ownership to the school. - The paid service now costs $1 for three days at 2Mbps or $5 for seven days at 5Mbps. - CSquared is working with local ISPs to develop affordable broadband products for households and small businesses. - About 10,000 residents or households now pay for the service. - Market traders and small businesses use the network daily. - CSquared says the paid adoption shows demand persisted after the free period ended.

Between the lines: - The project is not just a network expansion. It is a commercial test of whether connectivity plus training can create lasting local demand. - The school lab suggests the initiative is also aimed at first-time users who need basic confidence before more advanced tools, including AI, become useful. - The shift from free access to paid access is the key proof point for whether the model can scale beyond a donor-funded pilot. - Liberia's broader digital policy work, including the Liberia AI Challenge, AI training for civil servants with UNDP and a draft National ICT Policy, gives the project a wider national context.

What's next: - CSquared plans to keep developing affordable products with local internet service providers. - The company expects the Ganta model to inform similar projects in other underserved African communities. - A five-minute documentary on the project is available here. - CSquared will likely point to the commercial uptake in Ganta as evidence that combined infrastructure and training can be financially durable.

The bottom line: - Ganta has become a proof-of-concept for a broadband model that tries to convert digital access into paying demand, not just short-term connectivity.