The services of the Celtiis GSM network carried by the Beninese Digital Infrastructure Company (SBIN) were officially launched on Friday 21 October 2022 at the Novotel Hotel in Cotonou under the leadership of several government ministers. Formerly specialised in digital infrastructure management and wholesale data capacity, SBIN is now Benin’s third largest mobile operator alongside Moov Africa and MTN Benin.
A new GSM network in Benin. It is indeed the leading global operator in Benin. The competitor of MTN and MOOV launched its activities on Friday 21 October and offers its services under the brand Celtiis. The name of the company is SBIN SA, which has been delegated to the National Telecommunications Company (Sonatel) of Senegal, a subsidiary of the Orange Group, for the next three years. At the beginning, Celtiis expects to cover 50% of the Beninese population, with a projection of between 65 and 75% by the end of 2022.
Thus, SBIN S.A. aims to become a Global Operator and contribute to transform Benin into a West African digital services platform for accelerated growth and social inclusion.
In a competitive environment where the services offered by existing GSM networks are highly disparaged, Celtiis was created to become an operator capable of meeting the expectations of customers and stakeholders. Romuald Wadagni, Minister of State for the Economy and Finance, who presided over the launch, gives the reasons for setting up a third global operator.
“The first reason is to have an operator that will push for accessibility of digital tools and services for all Beninese. The second reason is to have an operator that will innovate and allow everyone to move forward and offer a quality service for the entire population. The last reason is to have a GSM operator that has the financial capacity to make investments so that we finally have a real dynamic digital ecosystem that can impact our young start-ups,” he said.
He also said that the establishment of Celtiis will address three major issues. These are: accessibility, quality and the acceleration of the establishment of a true digital ecosystem in Benin. “As Minister of Economy and Finance, it is in our interest that those who are there prosper, that others come and that overall, the sector creates wealth for the good of all,” he said to reassure GSM operators.
