Sonatel Q3 2025 Profit Soars 15.8% Amid Strong Digital Growth
The company attributed its performance to effective cost management and a strategic focus on high-growth digital services.
The Sonatel Group, a leading telecommunications operator in West Africa, has reported robust financial results for the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025), demonstrating strong profitability despite a challenging operating environment marked by regulatory pressure and intense competition. The company attributed its performance to effective cost management and a strategic focus on high-growth digital services.
Consolidated revenues for Q3 2025 reached 1,432.5 billion XOF, representing an 8.6% year-on-year increase, while net profit rose 15.8% to 311 billion XOF. EBITDA after leases (EBITDAAL), the Group’s key profitability metric, increased 11.5% to 686.5 billion XOF, resulting in a healthy margin of 47.9%. The company emphasized that EBITDA growth outpaced revenue growth, reflecting strong operational performance across key segments combined with disciplined cost control. Capital expenditure totaled 203.1 billion XOF, up 2.6% from Q3 2024, with investments concentrated on mobile networks, transmission, backhauling, and fixed broadband infrastructure.
The Group’s operational performance highlighted the continued success of its digital services strategy. While the overall mobile customer base declined 4.4% year-on-year to 39.4 million due to tightened customer identification regulations, higher-value services showed significant growth. The 4G subscriber base surged 20.9% to 20.7 million, while mobile data customers increased 6.4% to 21.9 million.
Fixed broadband and fiber services recorded exceptional growth. Fixed broadband subscribers increased 25% to 1.1 million, and fiber customers rose 36.2% to 565,600, reflecting the rising demand for high-speed connectivity. The Orange Money customer base also grew 3% to 12.4 million, demonstrating the Group’s continued success in expanding digital financial services across its markets.
Sonatel acknowledged a challenging operating environment, including stronger fiscal and regulatory pressures across its footprint. New taxes on money transfers were implemented in Senegal, Mali, and Guinea-Bissau, alongside customs duties on mobile devices in Senegal. Market competition also intensified, particularly in data and mobile money segments. Nevertheless, the company achieved key business milestones, inaugurating the first national data center in Guinea and appointing Mr. Brelotte BA as the new Managing Director of Sonatel Group effective August 1, 2025.
Looking ahead, Sonatel plans to maintain its momentum by focusing on several strategic priorities. The Group aims to accelerate the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband networks, strengthen commercial performance through high-value digital offerings including fintech, cloud, content, and cybersecurity services, and optimize operational efficiency. Internal digital transformation efforts, such as AI-driven process automation and employee upskilling, will further enhance organizational agility.
Through these initiatives, Sonatel reaffirms its commitment to creating sustainable value and driving the inclusive digital transformation of West Africa, positioning itself as a leading player in the region’s evolving telecommunications landscape.
