Maroc Telecom gains decline to $154M in Q1 2025

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Victoria from Techpoint here,

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Maroc Telecom’s Q1 2025 slips to $154M
Nigeria’s SEC tightens crypto rules
Cyber sharks nip at MTN’s network

Maroc Telecom’s Q1 2025 slips to $154M

Maroc Telecom's building — Image source: L’economiste

Morocco’s biggest telecom company, Maroc Telecom, just posted a dip in its first quarter pr0fits. The company said gains fell by 5.9%, landing at 1.43 billion dirhams ($154 million) between January and March. This was largely because of falling revenue at home, even though its businesses in other African countries are still growing.

Overall, Maroc Telecom’s revenue dropped 2% compared to the same time last year, bringing in 8.8 billion dirhams. In Morocco, revenue slipped by 3.7%, but their African subsidiaries, grouped under Moov Africa, actually saw a 4.1% boost.

Despite the revenue challenges, the company’s customer base keeps expanding. Maroc Telecom said it grew by 3.6% to hit 80 million users, helped by more investments into broadband and mobile payment services across its African markets.

Maroc Telecom, which is partly owned by the UAE’s Etisalat (53%) and the Moroccan government (22%), operates not just in Morocco but also in places like Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo, and seven other African countries.

Looking ahead, the company is gearing up for Morocco’s 5G rollout. In March, it announced a partnership with rival Inwi to jointly invest 4.4 billion dirhams over the next three years. They plan to set up two joint ventures to build the 5G fibre and tower infrastructure, pending regulatory approval, of course.

So while the home market is getting tougher, Maroc Telecom is betting big on Africa and new tech like 5G to drive its future growth.

Nigeria’s SEC tightens crypto rules

If you thought crypto was finally getting its big break in Nigeria, you’re not wrong, but it’s a little more complicated than it sounds. Thanks to the new Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, virtual and digital assets are now officially recognised as securities by Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

It’s a big deal for the crypto space, giving the industry some much-needed legal standing. But before you pop the champagne, you might want to take a deep breath.

Sure, having crypto recognised by the SEC sounds like progress. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that being labelled a “security” isn’t always a walk in the park. Remember when the U.S. SEC went after Ripple Labs in 2020? That lawsuit dragged on for years, rattled investors, and even led to XRP being delisted from major exchanges. So yeah, there’s a bit of a cautionary tale here.

The tricky part is that the ISA 2025 doesn’t exactly break down how the SEC plans to decide which crypto assets are securities and which aren’t. According to Adebare Akinwunmi, a digital assets lawyer, the SEC will likely focus on tokens tied to a company’s pr0fits. Think “invest your money and get a share of the earnings” vibes. But let’s be honest, not all tokens work that way. Bitcoin isn’t exactly out here promising dividends.

You’ve got cryptocurrencies serving all kinds of purposes, from payment systems to voting rights and access to services. Trying to squeeze all of them into the same legal box? It’s going to be messy, and there’s a real risk of stifling innovation if it’s not handled carefully.

Want to really understand what this could mean for Nigeria’s crypto future? You should definitely check out Bolu’s full story. It’s packed with even more juicy details.

Cyber sharks nip at MTN’s network

It’s not the best time to be Africa’s biggest telco. Last week, MTN Group confirmed a cybersecurity breach that exposed customer data in some of its markets. Details are still sketchy, but the company says its core systems, including billing platforms and mobile money services like MoMo, were not affected. So, at least for now, your wallet and airtime should be safe.

The breach reportedly came from unauthorised third-party access to certain parts of MTN’s environment. MTN hasn’t said exactly which countries were hit, but with operations across 16 markets, including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Uganda, it’s safe to say regulators are watching closely.

In a statement, MTN assured that there’s no evidence so far suggesting customer acc0unts or wallets have been directly compromised. Still, given how much personal information telcos handle these days, this kind of incident is bound to raise fresh questions about data privacy, especially in countries where cybersecurity laws are pretty loose.

It’s also a reminder of how much the role of telcos has evolved. They’re no longer just connecting calls and texts; they’re now major players in financial services and custodians of sensitive data. In fact, MTN’s MoMo platform alone processed over $204 billion in transactions back in 2022.

The company has already reported the breach to law enforcement agencies and regulators in the affected countries. South Africa’s cybercrime unit, the Hawks, are on it too, while customers whose data might have been compromised are being notified, as required by data protection laws.

As Africa’s digital economy keeps expanding, incidents like this show why trust, cybersecurity, and real transparency from major players like MTN are more important than ever. We’ll be keeping an eye on how this unfolds.

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