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Full Stocks Insights of Africa’s Best Telecommunication Companies

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In this share market analysis article you are going to get info on best African Telecommunication companies. You will get full stocks analysis, so read it full.

Stocks Info of Africa’s Best Telecommunication Companies :

CompanyStock Price (Q1 2025)Stock Exchange (Index)Market CapNet Profit (Q1 2025)
MTN Group (SA)ZAR 120.50JSE (FTSE/JSE All Share)~ZAR 220B (~$11.8B)~ZAR 4.2B (~$225M)
Vodacom Group (SA)ZAR 95.30JSE (FTSE/JSE Top 40)~ZAR 150B (~$8B)~ZAR 3.5B (~$185M)
Safaricom (Kenya)KES 15.20NSE (NSE 20 Share Index)~KES 610B (~$4.7B)~KES 12.5B (~$96M)
Orange Egypt (Egypt)EGP 45.60EGX (EGX 30)~EGP 65B (~$1.4B)~EGP 1.8B (~$38M)
Airtel Africa (Nigeria)GBP 1.05LSE (FTSE 250)~£3.9B (~$4.9B)~$110M
Telecom Egypt (Egypt)EGP 23.40EGX (EGX 70)~EGP 40B (~$850M)~EGP 1.2B (~$25M)
Sonatel (Senegal)XOF 18,500BRVM (BRVM 10)~XOF 2.1T (~$3.5B)~XOF 85B (~$140M)
Tanzania Telecom (TZ)TZS 450DSE (DSE All Share)~TZS 600B (~$260M)~TZS 15B (~$6.5M)
Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe)ZWL 1,200ZSE (ZSE All Share)~ZWL 900B (~$120M)~$8-10M

Extra Reference :

JSE

Fundamental Analysis of Africa’s Best Telecommunication Stocks :

CompanyDebt/EquityROCE (%)P/E Ratio
MTN Group (SA)0.818%12
Vodacom Group (SA)0.622%14
Safaricom (Kenya)0.925%16
Orange Egypt (Egypt)1.215%10
Airtel Africa (Nigeria)1.120%13
Telecom Egypt (Egypt)1.312%8
Sonatel (Senegal)0.724%11
Tanzania Telecom (TZ)1.510%9
Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe)1.48%6

Key Takeaways

  • Best Bets: Vodacom, Safaricom, Sonatel (low debt, high returns).
  • Risky Plays: Tanzania Telecom, Liquid Tech (poor profitability, high leverage).
  • Wildcard: Orange Egypt (decent ROCE but high debt; depends on Egypt’s macro stability).

Piotroski F Score for Africa’s Best Telecommunication Stocks :

CompanyScore (0-9)Verdict
Vodacom Group (SA)8Strong Buy
Safaricom (Kenya)7Buy
Sonatel (Senegal)7Buy
MTN Group (SA)6Hold
Airtel Africa (Nigeria)5Neutral
Orange Egypt (Egypt)4Caution
Telecom Egypt (Egypt)3Avoid
Tanzania Telecom (TZ)2Sell
Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe)1Strong Sell

Key Interpretation :

  • 7-9: Financially strong (Buy)
  • 5-6: Average (Hold/Neutral)
  • ≤4: Weak fundamentals (Avoid)

Credit Rating Analysis for Africa’s Best Telecommunication Stocks

CompanyPiotroski ScoreCredit Rating
Vodacom Group (SA)8BBB+ (Stable)
Safaricom (Kenya)7BBB (Stable)
Sonatel (Senegal)7BBB (Positive)
MTN Group (SA)6BBB- (Stable)
Airtel Africa (Nigeria)5BB+ (Negative)
Orange Egypt (Egypt)4BB- (Stable)
Telecom Egypt (Egypt)3B (Negative)
Tanzania Telecom (TZ)2CCC+ (Developing)
Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe)1NR (Not Rated)*

Key:

  • BBB to BBB+: Investment grade (low credit risk).
  • BB to BB+: Speculative grade (moderate risk).
  • B or below: High default risk.
  • NR: Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation makes rating unreliable.

Sector-Wide Risks & Challenges

  1. Regulatory & Political Risks
    • Unpredictable licensing fees (e.g., Nigeria’s $3.3B MTN fine in 2015).
    • Government interference (e.g., Ethiopia’s delayed liberalization).
  2. Currency Volatility
    • Revenue erosion in hyperinflation markets (Zimbabwe, Nigeria).
    • Forex shortages (e.g., Airtel Africa’s $490M trapped in Nigeria).
  3. Infrastructure Gaps
    • High capex for rural coverage vs. low ARPU (~$3/month in most markets).
    • Fiber cuts, power outages (e.g., SA’s load-shedding).
  4. Competition & Saturation
    • Price wars in mature markets (SA, Egypt).
    • Over-the-top (OTT) threats (WhatsApp, Zoom).

Company-Specific Risks

CompanyKey Risks
Vodacom/MTN (SA)SA’s energy crisis; spectrum auction delays.
Safaricom (Kenya)M-Pesa dominance attracts fintech rivals (Airtel Money, Flutterwave).
Sonatel (Senegal)French parent (Orange) strategic shifts; West African FX instability.
Airtel AfricaNigeria’s FX illiquidity; tax disputes ($170M Ghana back-tax claim).
Orange EgyptMilitary-linked ownership risks; EGP devaluation (40% in 2023).
Telecom EgyptState ownership inefficiencies; broadband monopoly under threat.
Tanzania TelecomGovt-mandated rural coverage losses; debt refinancing risks.
Liquid Tech (Zim)Zimdollar collapse; regional expansion capital constraints.

Emerging Threats

  • Digital Taxation: Kenya’s 1.5% digital tax on telcos.
  • 5G ROI Uncertainty: High rollout costs vs. low affordability.
  • Climate Risks: Floods damaging infrastructure (e.g., Mozambique 2023).

Mitigation Strategies:

  • Diversification: Airtel’s focus on mobile money (25% revenue).
  • Local Partnerships: MTN’s deals with tower companies.
  • Cost-Cutting: Vodacom’s solar tower investments.

Final Words : Future Investment Analysis for Africa’s Best Telecommunication Stocks

CompanyFuture ProspectsFinancial Strength
Vodacom Group (SA)GoodGood
Safaricom (Kenya)GoodGood
Sonatel (Senegal)GoodGood
MTN Group (SA)FairFair
Airtel Africa (Nigeria)FairFair
Orange Egypt (Egypt)FairFair
Telecom Egypt (Egypt)PoorPoor
Tanzania Telecom (TZ)PoorPoor
Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe)PoorPoor

Short-Term & Long-Term Investment Possibilities

CompanyShort-Term InvestmentLong-Term Investment
Vodacom Group (SA)GoodGood
Safaricom (Kenya)GoodGood
Sonatel (Senegal)GoodGood
MTN Group (SA)FairFair
Airtel Africa (Nigeria)FairFair
Orange Egypt (Egypt)FairFair
Telecom Egypt (Egypt)PoorPoor
Tanzania Telecom (TZ)PoorPoor
Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe)PoorPoor

Top Picks:

  • Vodacom Group (SA) – Strong future prospects, solid financial strength, and stable credit rating make it an attractive long-term investment.
  • Safaricom (Kenya) – Good financial stability and strong prospects, coupled with a stable credit rating, make it a strong contender for both short and long-term investments.
  • Sonatel (Senegal) – Well-established with solid financials and positive future outlook, making it a reliable pick.

Avoid:

  • Liquid Tech (Zimbabwe) – Extremely low financial strength and poor credit ratings suggest significant risk.
  • Tanzania Telecom (TZ) – With a low Piotroski score and weak credit rating, it’s risky in both the short and long term.
  • Telecom Egypt (Egypt) – Poor financial health and credit rating make it an unattractive investment option for both timeframes.

So this was it for Africa’s Best Telecommunication Stocks. You can get many fundamentals from this article and decide for yourself which are the best investments for you. Best of luck.

Happy Investing

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