• Guinea state takes full ownership of telecom operator Areeba
  
• Decrees grant public control after MTN share buyout
  
• Takeover raises questions over future Guinea Telecom plans
  

The Guinean government has taken full ownership of telecommunications operator Areeba Guinée SA. A decree signed on Thursday by President Mamadi Doumbouya authorizes the state to own 100% of the company after buying out the shares previously held by MTN Group.

The decree, read during the 8:30 p.m. television news bulletin, states that the acquisition gives the state full ownership and voting rights in Areeba Guinée SA, placing the company under public control. A second decree approving the company’s new statutes was also announced. Under the new framework, Areeba becomes a public limited company with a board of directors, operating as a legal entity with financial and managerial autonomy.

The decrees end the interim arrangement that had been in place since the state acquired MTN’s shares in December 2024, allowing the operator to continue operating pending a final decision. They also confirm the departure of a minority shareholder that had previously been under consideration.

The full takeover comes as the government has long planned the launch of Guinea Telecom, a new operator intended to replace the former state-owned monopoly SOTELGUI. The start of commercial operations, initially scheduled for early 2023, was postponed to 2024 and later to 2025. Authorities have cited several challenges, including ageing and obsolete infrastructure.

Officials have yet to say whether the Guinea Telecom project will go ahead now that the state controls a fully operational telecoms operator. Options under consideration include a possible merger of the assets of the two entities. A similar model exists in Benin, where the Benin Digital Infrastructure Company (SBIN) operates as a wholesale provider while its subsidiary Celtiis serves retail customers. Areeba could also be used as a financial asset that could later be leveraged to raise funding.

Isaac K. Kassouwi