Axian Group Strengthens Ties with Senegal to Support National Tech Transformation

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye met on May 9 with a delegation from Madagascar’s Axian Group. The company operates in telecom, finance, energy, and innovation across Africa. During the meeting, Axian reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Senegal’s "New Deal Technologique" - a government initiative aimed at fast-tracking the country’s digital transformation.

The visit followed an announcement by YAS Sénégal, Axian’s local telecom subsidiary, outlining new plans to boost its position in Senegal’s highly competitive telecom market. As of the third quarter of 2024, Orange remained the dominant player with 57.12% of the mobile market and 63.18% of the Internet segment. YAS Sénégal held 22.26% and 23.04% respectively, according to data from ARTP, Senegal’s telecom regulator.

Under growing competitive pressure, YAS Sénégal is working to strengthen its market position. The company rolled out a new regional strategy in late 2024, rebranding all telecom operations under “YAS” and financial services under “Mixx by Yas.” This plan is currently being implemented in several African countries, including Senegal, Togo, and Tanzania.

Axian recently secured $160 million in funding from the African Development Bank to support telecom infrastructure growth across nine African countries. Senegal is seen as a key part of that expansion. The group is focusing on building stronger networks, modernizing its services, and increasing its digital footprint in hopes of gaining more market share.

Axian’s involvement aligns closely with Senegal’s national digital agenda. Through targeted investments in 4G and 5G coverage, inclusive fintech solutions, and broader telecom infrastructure, the company can help reduce the digital divide; a key goal of the New Deal Technologique. Its focus on innovation and building strong public-private partnerships could also help speed up the digitalization of public services, another major priority of the government’s tech roadmap.