Senegal’s Mobile Connections Grow 4.4% in 2025 Despite Q4 Subscriber Loss
Overall, the data points to a market that is still growing annually but beginning to mature.
Senegal’s mobile telecom market expanded in 2025, but underlying momentum weakened toward the end of the year as subscriber losses in the fourth quarter partially offset earlier gains.
According to the latest report from the Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (ARTP), total active mobile connections reached 23.93 million in December 2025, up from 22.92 million a year earlier, representing 4.4% annual growth.
This growth reflects steady expansion across most of the year, driven by strong demand for mobile services and continued network activity from Senegal’s leading operators. However, the market recorded a net loss of 339,828 subscribers in the fourth quarter alone, equivalent to a 1.40% decline compared to Q3, marking a notable reversal after consecutive quarterly increases.
The contraction was largely driven by sharp subscriber declines at smaller operators. Expresso saw its base fall by 12.04%, while Promobile, the country’s mobile virtual network operator, declined by 5.29%. In contrast, market leader Orange continued to grow modestly, expanding its subscriber base by 1.39% to 13.64 million users, while Yas recorded a marginal 0.10% increase to 5.63 million subscribers.
Despite the quarterly setback, Senegal’s mobile market remains highly penetrated and structurally strong. The mobile penetration rate stood at 128.69% at the end of 2025, slightly down from 130.52% in the previous quarter, reflecting the widespread use of multiple SIM cards among consumers.
The market also continues to be overwhelmingly prepaid, with 98.3% of all mobile lines on prepaid plans, highlighting the price-sensitive nature of the subscriber base and the importance of flexible, low-commitment offerings.
In terms of competitive dynamics, Orange maintained clear market leadership with a 57% share, followed by Yas (23.54%), Expresso (14.14%), and Promobile (5.19%), indicating that while smaller players are under pressure, the overall market structure remains largely unchanged.
Usage trends further underline the mixed performance. Total outgoing mobile voice traffic declined 3.32% quarter-on-quarter to 10.40 billion minutes in Q4, even as it remained broadly stable year-on-year. This suggests that while subscriber numbers dipped, overall demand for communication services has not significantly weakened.
Overall, the data points to a market that is still growing annually but beginning to mature. With penetration already exceeding 100% and subscriber growth slowing, the Q4 decline signals rising competitive pressure—particularly on smaller operators—and a shift toward retention, service differentiation, and data-driven revenue growth as the next phase of expansion.
