ARTP: Senegal mobile market tops 12.721m at end-September as Expresso leapfrogs Tigo

Senegal’s industry regulator the Telecommunications and Post Regulatory Authority (L’Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications et des Postes, ARTP) has published its market observatory for the three months ending 30 September 2013, showing growth in the mobile sector eased to 0.47% in the period – compared with 3.72% growth in April-June – to reach 12.721 million. In terms of market share, Orange Senegal remains the dominant carrier with a market share of 58.34% at the end of September, equivalent to around 7.422 million users. In a surprise development though, erstwhile number three player, Sudatel Telecom (Expresso), leapfrogged second-placed Tigo Senegal to secure a 20.92% share of the market with 2.661 million subscribers, thanks to net additions of 44,190 connections in the period under review. The continued growth came on top of net new additions of 479,000 in March-June this year as Expresso closed in on Millicom International Cellular (MIC’s) Tigo unit. By contrast, the MIC unit shed a net 43,131 lines in the third quarter for a total of 2.638 million, a market share of 20.74%. According to ARTP’s figures, cellular penetration stood at 93.77% at end-September up from 93.60% in June. It also confirmed that pre-paid usage still dominates the Senegalese mobile market, accounting for 99.3% of all connections by the start of October.