Senegal: Telecom Giant Sonatel Third-Quarter Net Profit Jumps 8 Percent

Sonatel (Société Nationale des Télécommunications du Senegal), the principal telecommunications provider of Senegal, with headquarters in Dakar.

Sonatel, the Senegalese telecom group and West African subsidiary of Orange, posted an 8% increase in net profit for the third quarter of 2025 to 311 billion CFA francs (about $545.7 million), supported by the continued expansion of data services, fixed broadband, and Orange Money.

Revenue rose 8.6% year-on-year to 1.43 trillion CFA francs, while EBITDA after leases (EBITDAaL) climbed 11.5% to 686.5 billion CFA francs, lifting the margin to 47.9%. Operating cash flow grew 15.8% to 483.4 billion CFA francs, aided by better cost control and growth in high-margin segments.

Despite new taxes on mobile money and customs duties on devices, Sonatel (BRVM: SNTS) increased investments by 2.6% to 203 billion CFA francs, focused on network expansion and broadband infrastructure. Mobile subscribers fell 4.4% to 39.4 million following stricter SIM registration rules.

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Key Takeaways

Sonatel's Q3 results highlight the strength of its diversification strategy amid tighter regulation and inflationary pressures in West Africa. The group's growth was powered by high-margin businesses such as data, mobile payments, and fixed broadband, which continue to offset slower voice revenues and subscriber declines. Under new CEO Brelotte Ba, Sonatel is prioritizing innovation in fintech, cloud, and cybersecurity, while deepening digital transformation across its markets. The group's commitment to infrastructure--evident in its 203 billion CFA franc investment and the inauguration of Guinea's first national data center--underscores its regional leadership. Sonatel also plays a central role in the BCEAO's digital payments interoperability project, signaling strategic alignment with regional integration goals. With a solid balance sheet and expanding broadband network, the company aims to sustain profitability through the deployment of 5G, reduced carbon intensity, and enhanced synergies across its subsidiaries in Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau.

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