Sonatel Group has posted a solid financial performance for the third quarter of 2025, recording an 8% rise in net profit driven by strong momentum in data services and mobile money operations across its markets.
The regional telecom operator achieved a net profit of 311 billion CFA francs, supported by an 11.5% increase in EBITDAaL to 686.5 billion CFA francs. Revenue also grew to 1.43 trillion CFA francs, reflecting the company’s continued expansion of high-value digital services.
A key highlight of the quarter was a 15.8% surge in operating cash flow, reaching 483.4 billion CFA francs. Sonatel said the improvement was fueled by disciplined cost management and growth in higher-margin business segments, including fixed broadband, fintech, and digital services.
Despite these gains, Sonatel experienced a 4.4% decline in its mobile subscriber base, which fell to 39.4 million users. The company attributed the drop to new taxes on money transfers, increased duties on imported mobile devices, and stricter SIM-card registration rules across its operating countries.
Capital expenditure for the period rose by 2.6% to 203 billion CFA francs, as Sonatel continued to invest in upgrading its digital infrastructure. The company reaffirmed plans to accelerate investments in ultra-high-speed networks—such as 5G—expand its fintech and cloud services, strengthen cybersecurity, and advance environmental sustainability across its subsidiaries.
The Q3 results reinforce a continued shift within West Africa’s telecom sector, where operators are increasingly relying on data, broadband, and mobile financial services to drive growth amid rising regulatory and taxation pressures on traditional mobile services.
