Senegal Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: September 2024

Report Pages: 169

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Free Senegal joins Sonatel in acquiring 5G spectrum

Senegal’s telecom market continues to show steady growth in all sectors. This has been supported by the government’s ambitions to develop a digital transformation of the economy using ICTs and wider access to internet connectivity. The mobile subscriber base increased 7.9% in the year to September 2023, while the number of fixed broadband subscribers (DSL and fibre) increased 45.6%. In common with most markets in the region, mobile internet platforms account for the vast majority of all internet accesses. Quality of Service issues continue to plague the market, with the regulator periodically issuing fines to the market players.

Orange Group’s local subsidiary Orange Senegal (Sonatel) remains the dominant player in both the fixed-line and mobile sectors, where its share of subscribers has been relatively stable for several years. Free Senegal and Expresso Telecom provide effective competition, while Promobile has emerged as a new operator which has rapidly gained market share since 2021. Both Sonatel and Free have secured spectrum for 5G use, and the launch of 5G services fits in with the government’s Digital Senegal 2025 initiative.

Key developments:

Orange Senegal and Free Senegal launch 5G after securing spectrum in the 3.5GHz band.
Axian Telecom increases its stake in Free Senegal to 80%.
Senegal’s internet services remain susceptible to government censorship.
Government allocates $188 million to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Telecommunications to improve the economy’s digital transformation.
Digital Senegal 2025 program makes progress.
Report update includes the regulator's market data to September 2023, operator data to Q3 2023, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Sonatel (Orange Senegal), Free Senegal (Sentel, Tigo Senegal), Saga Africa Holdings, Sudatel (Expresso), Arc Informatique, Globacom, Mainstreet Technologies, Lycamobile Senegal

Key statistics
Regional Africa Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Telecom sector reform
Fixed-line developments

Telecommunications Act of 2001
Universal Service Fund
West African common regulatory framework 2005
Electronic Transactions Act
Taxes
Telecom sector liberalisation
Digital Cities
Digital Senegal
Second national operator (SNO) licence
VoIP

Mobile network developments

Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
SIM card registration
Tigo Senegal licence dispute
LTE licence
Roaming
QoS

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Mobile data

SMS
OTT messaging services

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Orange Senegal
Free Senegal
Expresso Telecom (Sudatel)

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Promobile
Hayo Telecom

Mobile content and applications

Manobi
M-payments and m-banking

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)

Digital Economy

E-health
E-government
E-commerce

Fixed network operators

Orange Senegal

Subsidiaries
Privatisation
Financial results
Network infrastructure and services
Telecentres
International expansion

Expresso Telecom

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
National Research and Education Network (NREN)
International infrastructure

Satellite
Terrestrial fibre and microwave
Submarine fibre

Data centres
Smart infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Senegal – 2024 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom revenue and investment (XOF billion) – 2012 – 2019
Table 3 – Development of fixed-line revenue and investment (XOF billion) – 2019 – 2022
Table 4 – Development of fixed-line average revenue per minute – 2018 – 2022
Table 5 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2016 – 2019
Table 6 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 7 – Change in the market share of subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 8 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 9 – Mobile voice traffic per subscriber per month – 2016 – 2023
Table 10 – Development of mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2023
Table 11 – Development of mobile revenue and investment (XOF billion) – 2012 – 2022
Table 12 – Development of SMS traffic – 2014 – 2023
Table 13 – Change in the number of SMS sent per month – 2016 – 2023
Table 14 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Table 15 – Change in the market share of mobile internet subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 16 – Change in market share of mobile internet subscribers by platform – 2018 – 2023
Table 17 – Change in the number of Orange Senegal’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 18 – Development of Orange Senegal’s revenue (€) – 2012 – 2023
Table 19 – Development of Orange Senegal’s prepaid mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Table 20 – Growth in the number of Free’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 21 – Growth in the number of Expresso’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 22 – Growth in the number of Promobile’s mobile subscribers – 2020 – 2023
Table 23 – Growth in the number of Hayo Telecom’s mobile subscribers – 2021 – 2023
Table 24 – Growth in the number of Orange Money users – 2014 – 2022
Table 25 – Development of Sonatel Group’s m-money revenue – 2016 – 2022
Table 26 – Fixed broadband subscribers by alternative fixed-line ISPs – 2018 – 2023
Table 27 – Growth in the number of internet users in Senegal – 2012 – 2023
Table 28 – Market share of internet connections by platform – 2012 – 2023
Table 29 – Change in the number of internet subscribers by platform – 2012 – 2023
Table 30 – Change in internet penetration by platform – 2015 – 2021
Table 31 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 32 – Increase in the number of Sonatel’s fixed internet subscribers – 2020 – 2022
Table 33 – Development of Sonatel Group’s fixed internet revenue – 2016 – 2022
Table 34 – Change in the number of fixed wireless internet subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 35 – Change in the share of fixed wireless broadband market by operator (keys and data cards) – 2013 – 2023
Table 36 – Development of Sonatel Group’s financial results (XOF billion) – 2012 – 2023
Table 37 – Growth in the number of Sonatel Group’s subscribers by platform – 2014 – 2022
Table 38 – Development of Sonatel’s financials (XOF billion) – 2012 – 2022
Table 39 – Change in Orange Senegal’s fixed-line ARPU – 2012 – 2019
Table 40 – Change in the number of fixed-lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 41 – Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 42 – International internet bandwidth in Senegal – 2012 – 2017
Table 43 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2011
Table 44 – Historic - Mobile voice traffic – 2002 – 2011
Table 45 – Historic - Orange Senegal mobile subscribers – 1999 – 2011
Table 46 – Historic - Orange Senegal’s mobile broadband subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 47 – Historic - Orange Senegal blended mobile ARPU (€) – 2012 – 2016
Table 48 – Historic - Internet users in Senegal – 2000 – 2011
Table 49 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2007 – 2011
Table 50 – Historic - DSL and fibre subscribers in Senegal – 2002 – 2011
Table 51 – Historic - Sonatel Group financial results (XOF billion) – 2004 – 2011
Table 52 – Historic - Orange Senegal fixed-line ARPU – 2004 – 2011
Table 53 – Historic - International internet bandwidth in Senegal – 2002 – 2011
Table 54 – Historic - Fixed-lines in service and teledensity in Senegal – 1999 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Africa – Market Leaders global ranking
Chart 3 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 4 – Africa – Market Challengers global ranking
Chart 5 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 6 – Africa – Market Emergents global ranking
Chart 7 – Africa – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 8 – Africa – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Africa – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of telecom revenue and investment– 2012 – 2019
Chart 11 – Development of fixed-line revenue and investment – 2019 – 2022
Chart 12 – Development of fixed-line average revenue per minute – 2018 – 2022
Chart 13 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 14 – Change in the market share of subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 15 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 16 – Development of mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2023
Chart 17 – Development of mobile revenue and investment – 2012 – 2022
Chart 18 – Development of SMS traffic – 2014 – 2023
Chart 19 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Chart 20 – Change in the market share of mobile internet subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 21 – Change in market share of mobile internet subscribers by platform – 2018 – 2023
Chart 22 – Change in the number of Orange Senegal’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 23 – Development of Orange Senegal’s revenue – 2012 – 2023
Chart 24 – Development of Orange Senegal’s prepaid mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2022
Chart 25 – Growth in the number of Free’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 26 – Growth in the number of Expresso’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 27 – Growth in the number of internet users in Senegal – 2012 – 2023
Chart 28 – Change in the number of internet subscribers by platform – 2012 – 2023
Chart 29 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 30 – Change in the share of fixed wireless broadband market by operator (keys and data cards) – 2013 – 2023
Chart 31 – Development of Sonatel Group’s financial results – 2012 – 2023
Chart 32 – Growth in the number of Sonatel Group’s subscribers by platform – 2014 – 2022
Chart 33 – Development of Orange Senegal financials – 2012 – 2022
Chart 34 – Change in Orange Senegal’s fixed-line ARPU – 2012 – 2019
Chart 35 – Change in the number of fixed-lines in service and teledensity in Senegal – 2012 – 2027

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Africa – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Africa – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Africa – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Map of Senegal
Exhibit 7 – 2Africa landing stations

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Senegal Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Free Senegal joins Sonatel in acquiring 5G spectrum

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital Economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views