Areeba Guinée has formally been taken over by Guinea, bringing the country’s second-largest telecoms operator fully under state ownership following the exit of MTN Group.
A presidential decree signed by Guinea’s military leader, Mamadi Doumbouya, confirms that the government now owns 100% of Areeba, having acquired the remaining shares previously held by the South African telecoms giant. The announcement was read on state television late Thursday, making the transfer of ownership official and final.
The move transforms Areeba into a state-owned telecoms company, with all ownership and voting rights now vested in the Guinean government. A separate decree also approved new statutes for the operator, restructuring it as a public limited company with a board of directors and operational autonomy allowing it to function as a commercial entity, albeit under public control.
MTN’s departure from Guinea has been years in the making. The company had long struggled with regulatory tensions, mounting fines, and pressure from authorities. In 2017, MTN Guinea was rebranded as Areeba after MTN sold a majority stake, marking the beginning of a gradual retreat. Over time, the state increased its involvement in the operator, tightening oversight as disputes with the telecoms regulator persisted.
By December 2024, the Guinean government had already acquired MTN’s remaining shares, leaving Areeba operating under an interim structure while authorities weighed their next steps. The latest decree brings that transition to a close, formally consolidating ownership under the state.
The takeover, however, raises broader questions about the future of Guinea Telecom, the government-backed operator intended to replace the defunct state monopoly SOTELGUI. Guinea Telecom has faced repeated delays, with its launch pushed from 2023 to 2024 and later to 2025, largely due to ageing infrastructure and funding constraints.
With Areeba now fully state-owned and operational, officials have yet to clarify whether Guinea Telecom will proceed as a standalone operator, be merged into Areeba, or be quietly shelved. For now, the government appears to be betting on Areeba as its primary vehicle for maintaining a state presence in the country’s telecoms sector.
The decision underscores a broader shift in Guinea’s telecoms landscape, as the state reasserts control over critical infrastructure once dominated by foreign operators raising fresh questions about competition, investment confidence, and the balance between public ownership and market efficiency.
