Guinea has taken full ownership of Areeba Guinée following the formal exit of MTN Group (JSE:MTN, NYSE:MTNOY), under a presidential decree signed by military leader Mamadi Doumbouya. The decree confirms that the state now holds 100% of the telecoms operator after acquiring the remaining shares previously owned by MTN.

The announcement was read on state television late last week, making the takeover final. Areeba, formerly MTN Guinea, is now fully state-owned, with all ownership and voting rights vested in the government.

Guinea’s consolidation of control over Areeba comes amid a prolonged political transition following the September 2021 military coup that brought Doumbouya to power. The junta has repeatedly delayed a return to civilian rule while exercising greater state control over strategic sectors.

A second decree approved new statutes for Areeba, converting it into a public limited company with a board of directors and operational autonomy. The move allows the operator to function on a commercial footing, albeit under state control, rather than as a government department.

MTN Group’s withdrawal from Guinea followed years of regulatory disputes, fines and pressure from authorities. In 2017, the South African telecoms group rebranded its Guinean unit as Areeba after selling a majority stake, but the state steadily increased its influence. By December 2024, the government had acquired MTN’s remaining shares.

The takeover sharpens uncertainty around Guinea Telecom, a separate state-backed operator planned to replace the defunct SOTELGUI monopoly, according to TechCabal. That project has been repeatedly delayed, slipping from an initial 2023 target to 2024 and then 2025, largely because of ageing infrastructure and funding constraints.

Officials have not said whether Guinea Telecom will proceed as a standalone operator or be folded into Areeba. Comparable regional models include Benin’s consolidation of state telecom assets under SBIN and the Celtiis mobile operator.

MTN Group is one of Africa’s largest mobile operators, with operations across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Its exit from Guinea marks the end of a long and contentious presence in the country’s telecoms market.