LAfricaMobile
LAfricaMobile is a Senegal-headquartered cloud communications platform that aggregates 60 telecom operators across 18 African countries to deliver multichannel SMS, voice, WhatsApp, USSD, and AI-powered African-language messaging services to banks, fintechs, telecom operators, and enterprises in francophone Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersDakar, Senegal
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What LAfricaMobile does
LAfricaMobile is a cloud communications and mobile marketing platform headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, that aggregates telecom operator infrastructure across 18 African countries and 60 operators to deliver multichannel business messaging, voice, and payment services. Its core product suite spans Push SMS, Pull SMS, WhatsApp Business, Push Vocal (voice broadcasting), USSD, Airtime distribution, Bill Payment, and Interactive Voice Response (IVR), all accessible through a self-serve web portal (MonEspace) and a REST API supporting eight programming languages, with approximately 200 clients having adopted the API. The platform also offers AI-powered Text-to-Speech and Speech-to-Text services that translate French into African local languages, including Wolof, to reach both smartphone and feature phone users as well as populations with limited literacy.
The company serves banks, insurance firms, fintechs, mobile network operators, marketing agencies, NGOs, government agencies, and logistics providers in francophone Africa, with named enterprise clients including UBA, SUNU, Baobab Plus, Djamo, Julaya, Avadapay, and Solevo. Revenue is generated primarily through usage-based pricing (pay-per-message or pay-per-call), supplemented by transaction fees on airtime and bill payment flows and by managed-service fees from its regulator-designated SVA aggregator role in Senegal. The company combines a product-led growth motion (free 100 SMS trial, developer portal) with a field sales motion staffed by country leads and key account managers targeting banks, fintechs, and public-sector accounts.
Founded in 2014 by CEO Malick Diouf, LAfricaMobile completed a €6.5M Series A in December 2024 led by Janngo Capital with Bpifrance participation, employs approximately 30 professionals across Dakar, Abidjan, and Lyon, holds ISO 27001 and Ecovadis certifications, and is an active GSMA member. Its strategic priorities include Central Africa geographic expansion, deeper AI integration into the product stack, and the 2025 launch of a consumer eSIM offering (YelabyLAM) extending beyond the core enterprise CPaaS business.
LAfricaMobile firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LAfricaMobile
- Legal name
- LAFRICAMOBILE SAS
- Website
- https://lafricamobile.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LAfricaMobile is a Senegal-headquartered cloud communications platform that aggregates 60 telecom operators across 18 African countries to deliver multichannel SMS, voice, WhatsApp, USSD, and AI-powered African-language messaging services to banks, fintechs, telecom operators, and enterprises in francophone Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LAfricaMobile industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cloud Communications Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Messaging APIs, CPaaS & Programmable Communications (BPAMACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Contact Center (CCaaS) & Customer Engagement Voice (HDAIAHAF)
Keywords
Where LAfricaMobile is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dakar
- HQ country
- Senegal
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
LAfricaMobile business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cloud Communication Platform (SaaS/API): Access to multichannel communication platform (SMS, Voice, WhatsApp, USSD, Airtime) via web portal or API integration. Usage-based pricing with pay-per-message or campaign fees.
- SMS Campaigns: Transactional and promotional SMS messaging services. Pricing based on message volume with 95% deliverability guarantee.
- Voice/Robocall Campaigns: Push Vocal service for mass voice message delivery. Charges per call with up to 100 simultaneous calls.
- Airtime Distribution: Management and distribution of prepaid credit. Enables resellers and organizations to purchase, distribute, and sell airtime on a single platform.
- Bill Payment Services: Bill payment aggregation service enabling customers to pay utility bills via mobile.
- USSD Services: Interactive USSD services working without internet connection. Enables VAS applications, mobile money interactions, and non-smartphone services.
- Aggregator Services: Official SVA aggregator services in Senegal. Facilitates interconnection between value-added service providers and telecom operators. Revenue from aggregation fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free trial with 100 SMS credits for new accounts |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-per-message pricing for SMS campaigns |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | API integration for developers and enterprises |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | IVR/Voice services with per-call pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
LAfricaMobile product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LAfricaMobile operates a cloud communication platform that aggregates telecom operator infrastructure across 18 African countries, enabling businesses to send multichannel customer communications via SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, USSD, Airtime, Bill Payment, and AI-powered text-to-speech in African local languages. The platform serves 300+ enterprise clients including banks, fintechs, telecom operators, NGOs, and government organizations, processing nearly 100 million messages annually.
Product overview
LAfricaMobile is a cloud communication and mobile marketing platform serving businesses across Africa. The platform operates as a unified multi-channel communication system comprising core messaging products (Push SMS, Pull SMS, WhatsApp Business, Push Vocal, USSD, Airtime, Bill Payment), AI-powered voice services (Text-To-Speech, Speech-To-Text), and interactive voice response (IVR/SVI). All services are accessible via a single web portal and API, enabling businesses to conduct large-scale marketing campaigns, automate customer communications, and reach both smartphone users and feature phone owners including illiterate populations in local African languages. The platform connects to 60+ telecom operators across 18 African countries, processing nearly 100 million transactions annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YelabyLAM: eSIM solution enabling users to stay connected anywhere in the world
Products and services
- Push SMS SMS marketing and notification service enabling businesses to send targeted text message campaigns to customers. Features include campaign automation, sender ID customization (up to 11 characters), and CSV contact import with country codes.
- Pull SMS Interactive SMS service enabling two-way communication through contests, voting, donations, and surveys. Recipients can respond to short codes without internet connection.
- WhatsApp Business WhatsApp messaging solution for businesses enabling automated notifications, alerts, and contextual communications. Supports text, audio, documents, and images. Available via API or web interface with unlimited users.
- Push Vocal Voice message broadcasting service enabling businesses to send personalized audio messages to customers via phone or voicemail. Supports up to 100 simultaneous calls and messages up to 5 minutes in MP3 or WAV format.
- USSD Interactive USSD service enabling feature phone users to access services without internet connection. Provides connectivity to mobile operators across Africa without requiring individual operator agreements.
- Airtime Mobile credit management service enabling purchase, distribution, and resale of prepaid airtime. Allows sending credit to collaborators or customers, all managed through a single platform.
- Bill Payment Bill payment service enabling customers to pay utility bills, subscriptions, and other recurring payments via mobile. Integrates with various service providers across African markets.
- Text-To-Speech (TTS) AI-powered voice synthesis service converting French text into African local languages with natural voice output. Enables communication with illiterate populations and those preferring local language interactions.
- Speech-To-Text (STT)
- Serveur Vocal Interactif (IVR/SVI) Interactive Voice Response system enabling automated phone greetings, menu navigation, call routing, and information delivery. Supports audio file playback, call recording, call transfer, simultaneous/sequential calling, and SMS notifications.
- YelabyLAM eSIM eSIM solution enabling users to stay connected anywhere in the world. Launched as a new service category extending beyond core messaging platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% SMS deliverability in under one minute
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use LAfricaMobile
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
LAfricaMobile technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability6 records
Feature5 records
LAfricaMobile partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Telecom Operators (60+)corePartnerships with 60 telecom operators across 18 African countries. Connected to networks in Senegal (Orange-Sonatel, Expresso, Free), Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger, Guinea, DRC, and more.
- ARTP Senegal (Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications et des Postes)coreRegulatory partner designating LAfricaMobile as official SVA aggregator in Senegal since February 26, 2024. Signing ceremony at MWC Barcelona 2024.
- Ecosystem Partners (NTF5, OPTIC, SenStartup, CTIC, ARTP, ADEPME, DER, 3FPT, H7, Stanford Seed Program)coreIncubators, accelerators, and support organizations. Includes CTIC Dakar where founders were incubated, Stanford Seed Program, and French development organizations.
- 4YFN/FastTrackTech AfricaminorStartup platform at Mobile World Congress. LAfricaMobile participated through #FastTrackTech project at 4YFN Barcelona. Funded by Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Netherlands.
- GSMAminorActive member. Participated at MWC Barcelona, MWC Africa. GSMA Director General Mats Granryd visited LAM booth at 4YFN.
- OVHminorWebsite hosting provider. French company based in Roubaix, France. Provides SSL-secured hosting for lafricamobile.com.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LAfricaMobile competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Africa's Talking: Pan-African CPaaS providing SMS, USSD, voice, and payments APIs to developers and enterprises across multiple African countries. Most direct competitor given overlapping product portfolio, API-first GTM, and similar target customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Twilio: Global CPaaS leader offering programmable SMS, voice, and WhatsApp APIs at scale. Comparable on core messaging/voice products but serves a much broader global footprint with significantly greater engineering and capital resources.
- Infobip: Global cloud communications platform with strong presence in emerging markets and direct telecom operator integrations. Direct overlap on SMS, WhatsApp Business, and voice/RCS products targeting enterprise customers.
- Clickatell: CPaaS provider with deep roots in Africa and WhatsApp Business focus. Comparable on messaging aggregation across multiple African MNOs and enterprise messaging use cases.
- MessageBird (Bird): Global omnichannel communications platform offering SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and email APIs. Comparable on the CPaaS layer though broader in geography and channel mix.
- Sinch: Global CPaaS with strong mobile operator relationships and messaging API focus. Comparable enterprise messaging capabilities, particularly relevant for direct-to-operator integrations.
- Plivo: Cloud communications platform offering SMS, voice, and WhatsApp APIs. Similar API-first developer platform model though serving a primarily non-African customer base.
Regional players
- Termii: Nigeria-focused communication APIs (SMS, voice, OTP, WhatsApp) for African enterprises. Comparable product offering but primarily serves Anglophone West Africa rather than francophone markets.
- Hubtel: Ghana-based messaging, payments, and merchant services platform with telecom operator integrations. Overlaps on USSD, SMS, and payment aggregation but focused on Ghana and Anglophone West Africa.
Emerging players
- Cellou: African-focused VAS aggregator and mobile marketing services provider. Comparable SMS and voice aggregation capabilities targeting enterprise clients in francophone West Africa.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LAfricaMobile social profiles
Digital presenceLAfricaMobile compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
LAfricaMobile financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LAfricaMobile leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
LAfricaMobile funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LAfricaMobile M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LAfricaMobile
What does LAfricaMobile do?
LAfricaMobile operates a cloud communication platform that aggregates telecom operator infrastructure across 18 African countries, enabling businesses to send multichannel customer communications via SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, USSD, Airtime, Bill Payment, and AI-powered text-to-speech in African local languages. The platform serves 300+ enterprise clients including banks, fintechs, telecom operators, NGOs, and government organizations, processing nearly 100 million messages annually.
Is LAfricaMobile a public or private company?
LAfricaMobile is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was LAfricaMobile founded?
LAfricaMobile was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LAfricaMobile based?
LAfricaMobile is headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, in the Africa region.
How does LAfricaMobile make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Cloud Communication Platform (SaaS/API) is the primary driver. The others are SMS Campaigns, voice/Robocall Campaigns, airtime Distribution, bill Payment Services, USSD Services and aggregator Services.
Who are LAfricaMobile's main competitors?
Africa's Talking is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are Twilio, Infobip, Clickatell, MessageBird (Bird), Sinch and Plivo. Regional players are Termii and Hubtel. Cellou is listed as an emerging player.
Does LAfricaMobile have an API?
Yes. LAfricaMobile provides a public API enabling developers to integrate SMS, voice, USSD, WhatsApp, and Airtime services into their applications. The API supports multiple programming languages including PHP, JavaScript, Java, .NET, C/C++, C#, Ruby, Python, and WinDev. The API is used for sending automated SMS notifications, integrating voice campaigns, and connecting CRM/ERP systems. Approximately 200 clients have adopted the API, which supports HTTP requests for sending messages and includes documentation for all available features. Developer documentation is at lafricamobile.com/fr/api-lampush.
What industry is LAfricaMobile in?
LAfricaMobile's product category is Cloud Communications Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMACAL, Messaging APIs, CPaaS & Programmable Communications, with a secondary code of HDAIAHAF, Contact Center (CCaaS) & Customer Engagement Voice. Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7385.