Expresso Senegal

What Expresso Senegal does

Expresso Senegal is a privately-held mobile telecommunications operator headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, and wholly owned by Dubai-based Expresso Telecom Group (regulated by the DIFC). Established in 2008 and launched in 2009 as the third mobile operator in Senegal and the first to deploy 3G services, the company operates 2G/3G/4G network infrastructure and holds 50% ownership of the ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) submarine cable, providing direct international connectivity. The company reports 3+ million subscribers across its consumer and business segments, with a product portfolio spanning voice (Jokko), internet data (NET), mixed voice+data+SMS plans (Buur, Nopalé), and business offerings (Jokko 5x, Jokko Pro, Team Connect, Forfait Go) under the Expresso Business division.

The business model is dual-segment: a high-volume consumer prepaid segment using pay-as-you-go plans priced from 100F to 9,500F (CFA Francs) distributed through a 12+ branch agency network, the ÔSEZ BY EXPRESSO mobile app (launched 2024), USSD self-service codes, and Wave mobile money integration; plus a subscription-based enterprise segment offering FTTH (from 34,900F/month), liaison spécialisée dedicated lines, IP telephony, SMS Pro bulk messaging, IPLC international circuits, Cloud ICT, Cybersec, and GPRS M2M connectivity. The enterprise segment is supported by dedicated account managers and field sales.

The company employs 256 people and operates 12+ branch offices across Senegal (Dakar, Thiès, Kaolack, Saint-Louis, Touba, Ziguinchor, AIBD, Rufisque, Matam, Tamba). Beyond basic telecom services, Expresso runs the Connecter pour Éduquer CSR program (over 1,000 students reached) in partnership with NGOs and has channel distribution partnerships with CBAO bank. CEO Fatou Sow KANE has led the company since its founding. No venture capital, private equity investment, or public listing is disclosed.

Name

Expresso Senegal

Legal name

Expresso Senegal

Website

https://expressotelecom.sn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Expresso Senegal is a privately-held mobile telecommunications operator serving 3+ million subscribers across Senegal through prepaid consumer voice/data plans and enterprise connectivity solutions. Owned by Dubai-based Expresso Telecom Group, it operates 2G/3G/4G networks and holds 50% of the ACE submarine cable.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Telecommunications

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)

SIC

Radiotelephone Communications (4812), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Roaming & Interconnect Services (roaming hubs, IREG/TADIG, clearing) (HDAIAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

VoIP Access & ITSP Services (HDAIAHAD), International Voice Wholesale (carrier voice, termination, A2P routing) (HDAIAEAD)

Keywords

• Mobile telecommunications
• Prepaid mobile plans
• Business connectivity
• Mobile internet services
• Enterprise telecom solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dakar

HQ country

Senegal

HQ region

Africa

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mobile Voice Services: Prepaid voice services through Jokko and Buur prepaid plans. Customers purchase credit bundles with validity periods ranging from 24 hours to 30 days. Revenue generated from airtime purchases across various price points (100F to 9,500F).
2. Mobile Data Services: Internet data packages (NET offers) with various data volumes from 100MB to 100GB. Pay-as-you-go model with no monthly commitment. Additional revenue from internet passes purchased separately from voice services.
3. Business Connectivity Solutions: Enterprise-grade services including liaison spécialisée (dedicated lines), FTTH professional, WiFi Pro, IP telephony, IPLC, and managed services. B2B forfaits starting at 4,900F for basic plans, with customized enterprise solutions.
4. SMS Pro Bulk Services: Bulk SMS services (Bulk SMS, SMPP, API) for business customers to send mass campaigns, with platform features including contact import, message personalization, scheduled campaigns, and detailed statistics.
5. Cloud ICT Services: Cloud data backup and storage services for businesses, enabling remote access to company data from anywhere.
6. Cybersecurity Services: Cybersecurity protection services (Cybersec) for enterprise clients to protect applications, IT equipment, and sensitive data.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Expresso Senegal is a mobile telecommunications operator in Senegal providing prepaid voice plans (Jokko, Buur, Nopalé), mobile internet/data packages (NET, Garmi, FTTH), and enterprise connectivity solutions (Expresso Business division including dedicated lines, VoIP, bulk SMS, IPLC, cloud backup, and cybersecurity). The company operates its own 2G/3G/4G mobile network and holds 50% ownership of the ACE submarine cable. Services are delivered through a physical agency network, mobile app (ÔSEZ BY EXPRESSO), USSD self-service, and a dedicated business sales team.

Product overview

Expresso Senegal is a telecommunications operator offering a comprehensive portfolio of mobile and internet services. The company operates a platform-plus-modules architecture with distinct consumer (Particuliers) and business (Professionnels/Expresso Business) segments. Consumer offerings include Jokko (voice), NET (internet data), Buur and Nopalé (voice+data+SMS mix), and Garmi plans. Business offerings are organized under Expresso Business, providing Jokko 5x, Jokko Pro, Team Connect, E-SIM, Forfait Go, and GPRS for mobile services, plus specialized connectivity solutions including Liaison spécialisée (dedicated line), MIFI, Wifi Pro, and FTTH fiber. Value-added services include VoIP telephony, SMS Pro (bulk SMS API), IPLC international circuits, Cloud ICT, and Cybersec. A mobile self-service app (ÔSEZ BY EXPRESSO) complements the portfolio. The company owns 50% of the ACE submarine cable and operates 2G/3G/4G networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Expresso Business: Business division of Expresso Senegal offering enterprise solutions including mobile plans, high-speed internet, VoIP telephony, specialized connectivity, and ICT services for corporate clients.
• ÔSEZ BY EXPRESSO

Products and services

• Jokko Prepaid voice-only mobile plans for individual consumers offering all-network minutes with various credit amounts (from 5,000 FCFA to 100,000 FCFA) and validity periods ranging from 24 hours to 30 days.
• Buur Mixed prepaid plans for individual consumers combining voice minutes, mobile internet data, and SMS, with options from 100F (20 minutes, 50MB, 2 SMS) to 9,500F (1,500 minutes, 90GB).
• Nopalé All-in-one prepaid plans for individual consumers combining voice, internet, and SMS for unlimited usage, with plans ranging from 500F to 40,000F of usage credit.
• NET Internet-focused prepaid data plans for individual consumers providing data packages from 100MB to 100GB with varying validity periods, billed pay-as-you-go with no monthly commitment.
• Jokko 5x Business subscription plan offering 5x credit, internet, and international minutes for heavy business callers and internet users, starting from 10,000 FCFA/month.
• Jokko Pro Business communication plan with internet and collaborative features for professionals, starting from 10,000 FCFA/month.
• Team Connect Team-based business plan enabling free internal calls between three or more team numbers, starting from 5,000 FCFA/month.
• Forfait Go Business voice and internet package offering calls and browsing starting from 4,900 FCFA.
• FTTH (Fiber to the Home) Fiber optic high-speed internet for businesses and individuals with speeds up to 100 Mbps and optional voice forfaits with unlimited numbers, starting from 34,900 FCFA/month.
• Liaison spécialisée Symmetric and secure dedicated connection service for businesses with customer-selected bandwidth, including coverage for remote areas.
• Wifi Pro Managed professional WiFi solution with broad network coverage for business premises.
• IPLC (International Private Leased Circuit) International private point-to-point circuit connecting business sites between Senegal and other countries worldwide.
• Téléphonie sur IP Cost-effective VoIP telephony solution for businesses with features including call waiting, ease of use, and simultaneous ringing on mobile devices.
• SMS Pro Bulk SMS solution (Bulk SMS, SMPP, API) for mass communication with features including contact import, message personalization, scheduled campaigns, and detailed statistics.
• Cloud ICT Cloud data backup and storage solution enabling immediate access to company data from anywhere (field, travel, remote work).
• Cybersec Cybersecurity services protecting business applications, IT equipment, and sensitive data from cyberattacks.
• ÔSEZ BY EXPRESSO Mobile App Self-service mobile application for managing telecom services including credit purchase, internet pass acquisition, Wave mobile money recharge, consumption tracking, and chatbot support. Available on Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3+ million subscribers served
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ONG Partners (for Connecter pour Éduquer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with NGOs to provide communication access in remote areas and support digital education initiatives. Under the Connecter pour Éduquer program, these partnerships aim to provide digital resources and internet connectivity to rural schools, benefiting over 1,000 students.
• CBAOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPoint of sale presence at CBAO bank location in Touba for Expresso services distribution.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• IHS Towers: Global tower infrastructure operator with significant African footprint. Comparable as an adjacent infrastructure provider whose shared-tower model and pass-through economics directly affect Senegalese MNOs like Expresso.
• Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Liquid Dataport): Pan-African fiber backbone and wholesale connectivity provider. Comparable as a wholesale/international carrier that monetizes subsea cable capacity and enterprise connectivity across Africa, parallel to Expresso's ACE cable stake and IPLC offerings.
• Helios Towers: Independent tower infrastructure company operating across African markets including Senegal. Comparable as an enabling infrastructure player whose relationship with operators like Expresso shapes network economics, coverage, and capex efficiency.

Regional players

• Africell: African-headquartered mobile operator with operations in multiple Sub-Saharan African markets. Comparable as a regionally focused challenger MNO pursuing digital inclusion and competitive prepaid offerings similar to Expresso's positioning.
• Maroc Telecom: North-African telecom incumbent with significant African subsidiaries and submarine cable assets (e.g., West Africa Cable System). Comparable in international infrastructure ownership and in providing integrated mobile, fixed, and enterprise services across multiple African markets.

Broad incumbents

• Airtel Africa: Pan-African mobile operator with presence across multiple African markets. Relevant as a large-scale African MNO benchmark for ARPU, network expansion, and enterprise services similar to those Expresso is building under Expresso Business.
• MTN Group: Africa's largest mobile operator with operations in multiple West and Central African markets. Comparable in mobile voice/data, mobile money, and enterprise ICT services, providing a strategic and operational benchmark for Expresso's enterprise ambitions.
• AXIAN Telecom: Pan-African operator owning Free Senegal and other mobile businesses across the Indian Ocean and Africa. Comparable as a regional operator competing on consumer mobile while building enterprise and digital services similar to Expresso's trajectory.

Direct peers

• Sonatel (Orange Senegal): Dominant incumbent mobile operator in Senegal and Expresso's largest direct competitor. Provides the same core mobile voice/data, FTTH, and enterprise ICT services to consumers and businesses in the same regulatory and geographic market.
• Free Senegal (AXIAN Telecom): Direct challenger MNO in Senegal offering prepaid voice/data plans and mobile broadband. Competes head-to-head with Expresso on consumer pricing and data bundles within the same market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/expressosenegal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@expressosenegal
• Facebookfacebook.com/Expresso221
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/expressosenegal
• Instagraminstagram.com/expresso_senegal
• TikToktiktok.com/@expressotelecomsn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Expresso Senegal