Who to save Eto’o Telecom? Things do not work as wanted Samuel Eto’o. The mobile phone company launched in the country in 2012 by the Cameroonian international is on the brink.

It is through a giant concert that Eto’o Telecom was launched in 2012 in Douala, the political capital of Cameroon. In less than two years later, the state of affairs is sad. Indeed, if one believes the Pan-African magazine Jeune Afrique, the mobile phone company of the Chelsea striker has serious problems that can be explained by an “unstable Management, no clear strategy, lack of responsiveness …”

The company of the Cameroonian star knows a glaring slump. According to Robert Martin Silo- Samé cofounder of Sisaroma, a firm specialized in telecommunications quoted by Jeune Afrique, the problem is due to improper positioning. “The biggest sin of Set’Mobile (the brand used by Eto’o Telecom), he summarizes, resides in their lack of transparency on the market. He wanted to play on the same field as the leaders while they could position themselves in interesting targets (ethnic groups, young people …)”.

To this is added the mismanagement of the company entrusted to refractory makers to any idea of change. In less than two years, the company has already seen two CEOs, French Charles Gueret and Hervé Perrin, unable to curb the momentum of the flight of customers. While Orange and MTN, two giants of the global mobile phone applied a rate of 50-60 F CFA a minute, Set’Mobile raised the bar to 70F before bringing it to 40F a year later.

Money a problem for Eto’o?

Set’Mobile owes 300 million CFA francs to the French operator. Unbearable for Eto’o, the man with more than 400 mobile phones? Far from that! Negotiations begun several weeks between the two parties stumbling on a divergent interpretation of the situation. For the French, they must first wipe the slate clean. This does not have the same resonance in the ears of the player representatives who believe that “money is not a problem,” and that “they have the means to pay, but he (Eto’o ed) considers it necessary to start on clear bases.” Set’Mobile, fearing absorption, would explore the conditions for an entry of Orange Cameroon in their capital, to benefit from a real technical assistance. “Samuel believes this is his baby, and he is not about to give it to anyone “, warns his employers.