Senegal-based telecommunications company Sonatel, which is also active in the west African markets of Guinea, Mali and Guinea-Bissau, has reported that consolidated net profits for the first six months of this year reached XOF91 billion (USD181.5 million), up 5% year-on-year, on revenue that increased by 10.3% from XOF324 billion to XOF357 billion. The operator, which is 42.3% owned by Orange Group (formerly France Telecom-Orange) attributed the positive growth to the increasing popularity of mobile internet services in its areas of operation.
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Sonatel booked an 11% rise in net income for the year ended 31 December 2012 to XOF171 billion, from XOF154 billion in FY2011, on revenue that climbed 4.3% to XOF663 billion. At the time the operator said that it was able to use its dominant position in its domestic market market to fight off stiff competition from a number of alternative operators. Profits were further bolstered by the ending of a surtax on international voice calls in Senegal, which helped fuel EBITDA, which rose 3.7% to XOF347 billion last year. EBITDA margin was 52%, down one percentage point on FY2011, but in line with its target of >50% for fiscal 2012.