Sonatel Group is a Publicly Owned company headquartered in Senegal, founded in 1985 with approximately 3730 employees, primarily operating in the telecoms sector. The company operates as an affiliate of France Telecom Group and maintains a presence in Mali, Guinee Bissau, and the Republic of Guinee.
Sonatel helped lift the BRVM Composite by 1.11% on October 4, contributing to the regional market's rebound. Previously, on September 16, Senegal appointed Sonatel veteran Cheikh Tidiane Sarr as director general of the Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARTP), succeeding Dahirou Thiam. This appointment followed a significant legal development earlier in the month when Senegal's Supreme Court temporarily suspended Starlink's operating authorization. The suspension stemmed from a legal petition by Sonatel, which argued that Starlink, having launched commercial internet services in February 2026 under a five-year ministerial permit, was exempt from heavy regulatory and financial obligations imposed on traditional tier-one licensees, thereby breaching competition rules and damaging Sonatel's business. Sonatel highlighted its own payment of CFAF 134.5 billion for concession renewals, 4G spectrum, and 5G licenses. The rising competition from Starlink had been noted as a challenge for fiber operators like Sonatel in the African broadband market.
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