• Subscriber base shrinks 4.4% amid taxes, regulations, and SIM rules
• Firm boosts investment in 5G, fintech, and regional digital platforms
  

Sonatel, the West African subsidiary of France’s Orange Group, posted an 8 percent rise in third-quarter 2025 net profit, driven by growth in data, fixed broadband and mobile money services, which offset a decline in mobile subscribers.

Net profit reached 311 billion CFA francs ($545.7 million) on revenue of 1.43 trillion CFA francs, up 8.6 percent from a year earlier, the Dakar-based company said in a report released late last week.

EBITDA after leases (EBITDAaL) rose 11.5 percent to 686.5 billion CFA francs, lifting the margin to 47.9 percent. Operating cash flow jumped 15.8 percent to 483.4 billion, supported by “tighter cost control and the expansion of high-margin businesses,” the company said.

“The growth of high-margin segments such as data, Orange Money and fixed broadband helped strengthen performance despite a more competitive and regulated environment,” the report added.

Operating in Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, Sonatel faced new taxes on money transfers and import duties on mobile devices. Stricter SIM card registration rules led to a 4.4 percent drop in mobile subscribers to 39.4 million.

Capital expenditure rose 2.6 percent year-on-year to 203 billion CFA francs, focused on mobile networks, transmission and fixed broadband. The company also inaugurated Guinea’s first national data center and joined the pilot launch of the West African central bank BCEAO’s regional interoperability platform.

Chief Executive Officer Brelotte Ba, who took office in August, said Sonatel will sustain growth by investing in fintech, cloud and cybersecurity services while accelerating its internal digital transformation.

“Sonatel will continue to invest in very high-speed networks and digital platforms to strengthen competitiveness and support inclusive digital growth in West Africa,” Ba said.

The company plans to expand its 5G rollout, cut its carbon footprint and deepen regional synergies across its subsidiaries.

Edité par M.F. Vahid Codjia