Maroc Telecom’s Q1 revenue dips 5.9% amid regulatory penalties and rising prices

Maroc Telecom reported a 5.9% drop in first-quarter internet revenue for 2025, attributing the decline to regulatory penalties and elevated operational prices in its home market. The corporate’s internet revenue fell to MAD 1.43 billion ($154 million), whereas consolidated income decreased by 2% to MAD 8.8 billion.

The decline in income was primarily attributable to a 3.7% drop in its core Moroccan market, the place the corporate confronted a aggressive panorama and regulatory challenges. In distinction, its African subsidiaries, working below the Moov Africa model, noticed a 4.1% enhance in income, pushed by cellular knowledge and fintech companies.

Regardless of the monetary challenges, Maroc Telecom’s buyer base grew by 3.6% to just about 80 million subscribers, with vital development in its African markets. The corporate is investing in broadband and cellular cost companies throughout these areas to drive future development.

In a strategic transfer to boost its infrastructure, Maroc Telecom introduced a joint funding with competitor Inwi to roll out 5G and fibre-optic networks in Morocco.

The partnership includes a MAD 4.4 billion funding over three years to speed up the nation’s digital transformation.

Maroc Telecom, 53% owned by the UAE’s Etisalat and 22% by the Moroccan state, continues to navigate a difficult home market whereas leveraging development alternatives in its African operations.

The corporate’s concentrate on increasing digital companies and infrastructure is central to its technique for sustaining long-term development.​

Maroc Telecom’s challenges mirror broader developments in Africa’s telecom sector. MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator, reported a 69% decline in full-year earnings as a result of devaluation of the naira and operational challenges in Sudan.

The corporate’s headline earnings per share fell to $0.98 from $0.31 within the earlier 12 months. Nigeria’s power greenback shortages necessitated a weakening of the naira to stabilise the foreign money and entice funding, contributing to a big enhance in prices and a pretax lack of ₦550.3 billion for MTN Nigeria.

Moreover, armed battle in Sudan adversely affected MTN’s operational and monetary efficiency there. General, MTN’s group service income decreased by 15% to 177.8 billion rand, although it rose 14% in fixed foreign money phrases.

Regardless of these challenges, the corporate declared a remaining dividend of 345 cents per share, a rise from 330 cents. ​

Airtel Africa confronted related headwinds. The telecom operator suffered a $500 million income drop in Nigeria, its largest market, as a result of vital devaluation of the naira.

Regardless of growing its person base by 8.2% and knowledge utilization per buyer by 37.2%, the decline in income was substantial. Nevertheless, Airtel Africa reported income will increase in East and Francophone Africa, pushed by cellular knowledge and fintech companies.

These developments spotlight the challenges confronted by telecom operators throughout Africa, together with foreign money devaluations, regulatory pressures, and the necessity for ongoing funding in infrastructure to satisfy the rising demand for digital companies.