MTN Group GM of digital services, marketing and strategy Rolivhuwa Maluma (pictured, second from left); Canal+ Rwanda CEO Sophie Sandra Tchatchoua (pictured, second from right); and Louis Manu, CEO and co-founder of streaming and video on demand company Wi-flix (pictured, far right) argued Africa now holds its own in terms of creating content, meaning attention is now turning to matters spanning connectivity, production and circulation.

For all three, the message is very much about engaging with local creators and helping them foster relationships at home and abroad to develop and distribute their output.

Maluma said it is time to make use of the networks MTN has created across the region, a move he believes the operator group can only achieve by engaging with content creators, platform providers and investors.

“We believe there is a big opportunity that we can unlock as Africans for Africans”.

Tchatchoua agreed, explaining Canal+ is engaged in helping Africans tell their story on domestic and international stages.

The company is focused on building skills and “investing in local production”. Tchatchoua highlighted the scale of Canal+ offers a big platform to showcase African talent in the form of around 70 channels.

Tchatchoua said Canal+ is creating a media entertainment hub focused on programming, but also seeking to give Africa a stronger voice globally.

Maluma sees potential for content to fuel uptake of mobile internet services, explaining MTN believes a primary role is putting TV and video in the hands of its customers.

The operator also has an eye on localising gaming content and on music, the “soul of the continent”, Maluma said.

Collaboration
The role of the operator goes beyond connectivity alone. Maluma said MTN is building an ecosystem of creators, investing in local productions, and liaising with platform providers and investors. These collaborations are key to promoting African content across borders and internationally, he argued.

Manu believes the work so far is paying off and turned Africa into “a global content powerhouse”.

But he noted challenges remain around “monetisation, infrastructure, IP protection and distribution”.

Manu also believes global distribution remains a challenge: “how do we ensure African content reaches every corner of the globe”?

Mobile offers a solid channel in many respects. Manu explained phones are Africans’ cinemas and TVs, and Wi-flix is building relationships with large operators to ensure content is widely distributed across multiple countries.

He said there is a need “to stop seeing African content as niche and start positioning our content as massively universal”.

The post Africa reeling in content opportunities appeared first on Mobile World Live.

During the event’s opening keynote, Mupita told GSMA director general Vivek Badrinath (pictured, left) that while coverage has improved across much of the continent, usage and investment remain constrained by legacy rules and rising costs. “I think that some of the regulatory frameworks that we have across our continent were designed for the voice era,” he stated. “In the voice era, networks were built in a very capital-light approach. You couldn’t really fill up voice networks, so to speak, but you do fill up data networks very easily.”

He urged policymakers to start “with a clean set of paper” and design frameworks for digital societies rather than legacy systems. “We need a very clear roadmap towards digital Africa, the digital societies we want, and then build regulation and frameworks from there.”

Mupita added that high spectrum costs and heavy taxation continue to undermine investment, urging policymakers to rethink pricing and competition models. “Mobile network operators do not meet the cost of capital for the infrastructure that’s provided,” he said, calling for “price floors in markets so that we support and protect investments”.

Level playing field
In the keynote, Orange Middle East and Africa CEO Yasser Shaker echoed these calls for smarter regulation, stressing the need for balanced competition and sustained innovation.

“We have to ensure that we have the same playing field that all players,” he said. “I don’t think we’re only competing against operators,” he noted, adding that today, telcos also compete against fintechs, OTTs and satellites players.

Shaker explained that “clarity is very important for investment,” arguing that fair rules and consistent policy would help operators continue investing in innovation. “We just need to have the same playing field for everyone.”

Three Africas
Also on stage, Airtel Africa Group CEO Sunil Taldar noted that the continent’s digital markets are developing at different speeds, highlighting distinct challenges across regions that he described as “three Africas”. The “core Africa” of major cities such as Lagos and Nairobi where digital engagement rivals global peers and anchors the continent’s growth, the “emerging Africa” of tier-two cities shifting from voice to data, and “rural Africa,” which Taldar hailed as “the single biggest opportunity.”

“In my view, the real strength of Africa lies not only in its demand or demographics, but in its mindset,” Taldar said, hailing innovation across the continent. He called for the industry to “redefine cost economies to further connectivity and leverage AI to build greener and reliable networks.”

“Africa’s telecom story is not about catching up,” he stated. “It’s about leapfrogging… from access to productivity”.

The post MTN boss urges Africa to move on from voice era regulation appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Solomzi Mnyaka, the operator’s general manager of Network Services Engineering and L2 Support (pictured, front, left of centre), said it advanced its goal to build an up-to-date network capable of meeting customer needs which is adaptable for future developments.

MTN deployed Ericsson’s cloud-native policy controller and packet core gateway, providing it with a dual-mode 5G set up Mnyaka said hastens its responsiveness and ability to deploy fresh services.

Ericsson stated MTN is the first operator in Africa to employ its Cloud Core Policy Controller (CCPC) in a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) configuration.

The approach provides the ability to put real-time dynamic policies into action, initially on non-standalone 5G but with compatibility for a future SA edition.

MTN deployed the vendor’s cloud-native packet core and user management functions during the opening half of the year as part of a broader network modernisation deal its parent company agreed with Ericsson in early 2024.

Ericsson stated the work is already paying off, delivering a world first In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) on its Packet Core Gateway node with a collocated firewall without interrupting the 2.5 million users active on the network at the time.

A Container-as-a-Service Rolling Upgrade on a relevant platform was also handled while 2 million active sessions were taking place. Ericsson branded the deployment as a “key milestone” in MTN’s automation journey.

Sandile Dhlomo, head of Ericsson South Africa (pictured, front, right of centre), said it provided MTN with a “more flexible and automated policy framework that supports monetisation, network evolution and enriched user experiences”.

The post Ericsson advances MTN SA 5G goal with cloud core update appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In an interview with Bloomberg, MTN CEO Ralph Mupita confirmed the group aims to construct data centres, secure tenants to supply AI compute and rent out capacity to businesses and governments across the continent.

MTN plans to directly invest in the build-out and is considering equipping the data centres with its own hardware. The Johannesburg-based operator has apparently broken ground on its first AI data centre in Nigeria, with an estimated cost of $240 million.

“We are now in the commercial negotiation phase and shortlisting partners who can help us scale,” Mupita stated, adding that the group aims to finalise agreements within a year. Potential global partners could include AI infrastructure specialists and hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Bloomberg reported.

The data centre initiative will be led by MTN’s dedicated AI infrastructure unit, Genova, to monetise assets, open platforms to third parties and unlock new revenue opportunities across the operator’s 16 African markets. The group is also assessing options to ensure consistent power supply to its data centres in markets with limited electricity infrastructure.

Africa currently holds less than 1 per cent of AI data centre capacity, despite having the fastest growing and youngest population globally, the news outlet reported. Existing compute infrastructure is largely concentrated in South Africa, where hyperscalers including Microsoft, Amazon and Alibaba operate cloud services.

Other industry players are also stepping up investment in the region. For instance, Microsoft and United Arab Emirates-based AI company G42 unveiled plans to build a $1 billion geothermal-powered facility in Kenya last year.

The post MTN eyes AI data centre expansion across Africa appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Molapisi took charge of MTN’s operation in its home market at the start of 2022 and will be replaced by group chief risk officer (CRO) Ferdi Moolman.

The move comes as the operator divides its group CTIO and digital infrastructure roles. Current incumbent of both Mazen Mroue retains responsibility for the latter though takes on a wider remit within that digital infrastructure banner.

Another change at group level will see CFO Tsholofelo Molefe’s responsibilities extended to include M&A activity.

Its chief commercial officer Selorm Adadevoh will have strategy and transformation added, as current chief strategy and transformation officer Chika Ekeji moves to focus on emerging business opportunities.

MTN also unveiled several changes impacting operating units across its footprint due to the changing make-up of its international operations.

Current MTN VP for Southern and East Africa Yolanda Cuba is set to become deputy CEO of MTN South Africa.

VP Middle East and North Africa Ismail Jaroudi moves to VP of special projects alongside being CEO of MTN Dubai, while SVP markets Ebenezer Asante takes on the job of VP of Ghana, Southern and East Africa.

MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola will have VP Francophone Africa added to his job spec.

All executive team changes are effective 1 November 2025.

Ambition beyond 2025
MTN explained the slew of changes were to “strengthen strategy execution and delivery” of priorities moving forward, defined by its board in a recent review of its ongoing Ambition 2025 strategy.

The company noted following the assessment and “evolving geopolitical, macroeconomic and technology landscapes” the broad objectives in its current plan were still relevant but outlined an aim to “streamline” its focus going beyond 2025.

Its upcoming drive revolves around three primary platforms of connectivity, financial technology and digital infrastructure.

The post MTN shifts SA boss back to CTIO in exec shake-up appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN), on behalf of the operators, stated it had presented a unified 6G vision to 3GPP, advocating for the critical need for harmonised global standards as it prepares for setting the scope for Release 20.

In its 6G Key Messages – An Operator View publication, NGMN argued that standards should be built upon the features and capabilities introduced with 5G and “create value through new services”, delivering benefits to users and operators.

To that end, 6G must demonstrate clear, tangible benefits with a realistic techno-economic framework network architecture to meet MNOs criteria for “modularity, simplicity, openness, operational simplification, compatibility and interoperability, while delivering economic and social sustainability”, said NGMN.

Embrace decoupled roadmaps
The latest rallying cry consolidates messages from a previous NGMN publication published in 2023, with industry heavyweights stressing the transition to 6G should be evolutionary but not force a complete hardware refresh.

It further acknowledged fresh radio equipment will be required to deploy new frequency bands, but the evolution towards 6G in existing bands should primarily occur through software upgrades.

Laurent Leboucher, chairman of the NGMN Alliance board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks, insisted the move to 6G should be seamless, fully compatible with 5G and “propelled by continuous software innovation”.

“The industry must move beyond synchronised hardware/software ‘G’ cycle and embrace decoupled roadmaps,” he added.

The post Operator giants call for seamless shift to 6G appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The company plans to offer the deal to 5,000 people in the first stage, primarily users in the Gauteng province of the country. Qualifying customers will be chosen based on spending patterns, usage profile and how long they’ve been with the company.

MTN then plans to extend the initiative nationally with more than 1.2 million people to be the offered one “for as little as” ZAR99 by the end of 2026, which is also its target date to switch off its 3G network.

The devices being offered are 4G smartphones with several applications already loaded focused on digital tools and services. One of the conditions of the deal is the handset must be used with an MTN SIM.

To offer the devices, the operator partnered with distribution specialist Smartphone For All.

MTN South Africa CEO Charles Molapisi noted: “As the country transitions to technologies like 4G and 5G, it is vital that we take proactive steps to connect as many South Africans as possible”.

Smartphone for All founder and CEO Babatunde Osho added the move “marks a pivotal step in our journey to bridge the digital divide. By making smartphones more accessible and affordable, we are unlocking opportunities for millions who have been left behind in the digital economy.”

The move is the latest by an operator to address handset affordability, a factor frequently cited as one of the primary barriers to digital inclusivity, while also preparing its base for the expiry of technologies on which many older handsets rely.

The post MTN to offer 1.2M cheap 4G devices appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator group noted the data was on users in “certain markets” but stated it currently had no information to suggest customer accounts or wallets had been directly compromised.

It noted “an unknown third-party has claimed to have accessed data linked to parts of our systems” but emphasised its core network, billing systems and financial services infrastructure remained secure and fully operational.

MTN informed police in its home market of South Africa alongside “the relevant country authorities,” adding it would “continue to update them on an ongoing basis while working closely with them and law enforcement agencies in supporting their investigations”.

It is also contacting impacted customers in compliance with legal obligations.

Addressing users in its statement on the incident, it outlined various pieces of advice on security including having fraud alerts on credit reports, keeping apps updated, employing multifactor authentication and other standard pieces of security good practice.

“The privacy of information is our top priority and MTN remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of our systems and the trust placed in us by our customers and other stakeholders. We will continue to contain and manage this matter carefully,” the company added.

The post MTN hit by cybersecurity incident appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Africa-focused group explained the collaboration aims to optimise the quality and stability of calls on applications, including WhatsApp, through network improvements and closer integration.

Extensive testing and data analytics are being used to fine-tune call performance on mobile networks without compromising efficient traffic delivery, the partners noted.

These efforts have apparently already delivered measurable improvements in key performance indicators in Nigeria, the first market to receive the boost.  

Yahaya Ibrahim, CTO at MTN Nigeria stated the company was “pleased with the remarkable improvement in our real-time communication services”.

The companies began working together following initial discussions at MWC Barcelona 2024. They have since collaborated to identify technical optimisations to boost call reliability, connection times and quality.

Diego Mari, head of network ecosystems engineering at Meta said the initiative enables the companies to enhance user experience, adding that it exemplifies Meta’s “dedication to elevating service quality and improving user experience, while striving for continued efficiency in traffic delivery”.

The post MTN, Meta combine to up app call quality appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The platform is set to support delivery over both fixed and mobile networks and will use cloud-based technology to supply linear television and video-on-demand deemed to be relevant to viewers in each country.

It is expected to support subscription-based and ad-supported content with the ability to offer advertisers targeted propositions.

MTN noted each country would “benefit from a curated content strategy, thoughtfully adapted to local cultures, languages, and viewing habits”. This, it believes, will ensure “deep relevance and strong audience resonance across the continent”.

The operator group’s chief commercial officer, Selorm Adadevoh, said he believed there was a “unique opportunity to transform video consumption in Africa with high-quality, accessible, and relevant content”.

He added the pact would give it access to “cutting-edge technology and deep customer insights to enhance entertainment experiences and drive digital inclusion”.

MTN’s attempts to grab a piece of Africa’s streaming market will put it head to head with a number of international big name rivals including Netflix and South Africa-based MultiChoice, the latter is currently in the middle of a proposed acquisition by French media giant Canal+.

The post MTN eyes starring role in Africa streaming market appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The partnership will in particular target customers in remote and rural areas lacking access to connectivity, as part of a shared vision to extend digital and financial inclusion across the continent, said MTN in a statement.

The operator further explained the initiative is part of a growing global trend towards network sharing, and it appears Uganda and Nigeria will just be the start.

The duo said they will explore similar arrangements in other markets, including Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda and Zambia, highlighting opportunities in RAN sharing and commercial and technical set-ups around fibre infrastructure. MTN and Airtel Africa added they were also open to working with other operators in countries where they operate to explore further network sharing plays.

MTN president and CEO Ralph Mupita said operators on the continent were seeing more demand for data services and while investment was needed in coverage and capacity to ensure high-quality connectivity, there were also opportunities “within regulatory frameworks for sharing resources”.

Also commenting, Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar said it was competing fiercely in the market on the strength of its brand and network sharing allows it to drive digital and financial inclusion, while “at the same time avoiding duplication of expensive infrastructure”.

The post MTN, Airtel Africa strike network sharing deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Hatem Dowidar, CEO of e& (pictured), KDDI chief Makoto Takahashi and Ralph Mupita, CEO with MTN Group, noted a common theme for their businesses was a need to adapt to changing times or provide services which enabled more than connectivity alone from the outset.

Pipework
The e& chief summarised the situation facing many operators globally, with the rise of OTT alternatives to traditional money-spinning services including SMS and voice reducing many to “being a pipe of packets, just carrying data across the networks”.

It was an unsustainable prospect given the “huge cost structure” and “massive investments” operators made.

The operator’s strategy was one of decentralisation under a fresh brand, enabling it to move into new verticals while still benefitting from the synergies of the existing organisation’s technology and reach.

Dowidar compared the new structure to an airport because e& is able to do “different things at the same time”, through a series of vertical businesses which “operate with flexibility, with accountability”.

He explained the perception of the company was more of a challenge than the technology aspect because e&’s previous name literally meant telecommunications and so it had to carefully manage its shift while still maintaining core connectivity services.

It was about “really putting cutting edge tools and tech in the hands of our customers, empowering them to go forward”.

Transcending outer space
KDDI is taking a similar approach, with vertical units occupying the same orbits but still being free to operate independently within a broader whole.

Takahashi (pictured, left) explained technologies including 5G, data and AI are at the heart of KDDI’s orbital strategies, the sun around which its other services revolve.

The first orbit covers sectors including finance and energy, with another path encompassing healthcare; Web 3 and metaverse; mobility; sports and entertainment; and space connectivity.

KDDI is already employing Space X’s Starlink service for rural backhaul and maritime connectivity, among others, but Takahashi noted the collaboration is also proving invaluable in “emergencies and disasters”, along with highlighting how partnerships are proving essential in enabling operators to move beyond traditional connectivity.

Agile Africa
Mupita acknowledged operators have more to offer than just connectivity, but highlighted they do not all have the same resources available.

The typical ARPU available to Mupita’s operation is in the $2 to $3 range, meaning the company must be more imaginative and creative than players booking figures in the double digits.

Mupita (pictured, left) noted connectivity had been the heart of MTN’s mission since its foundation in 1994, but explained this is as much about enabling access to connectivity as providing the networks themselves, along with focusing on enabling people to use various services.

The connectivity gap in Africa is now less of a barrier than the usage gap, which Mupita said still stands at around 50 per cent when it comes to data services.

MTN is widely known as a driver of financial inclusion through its mobile money services: Mupita noted the group employed technology to enable “people who previously did not have financial services to benefit from what all of us sitting here in this room have, which is the dignity of being able to transact”, send money and “create and drive micro e-commerce businesses”.

Mupita laid bare the scale of the achievement, stating MTN now has “more than 60 million subscribers actively using our mobile money solutions”.

The service is arguably an example of how MTN has always been more tech-co and less pure telco, but Mupita noted there are still opportunities to build its credentials in the former, highlighting private 5G as one.

He used the mining industry as an example, explaining MTN is using network slicing to enable it to create private networks for specific operations.

Like Takahashi, the MTN chief believes partnerships are necessary to advance its service strategy and ensure the operator is “having a real impact”.

The CEO said MTN is “truly inspired by Africa’s potential”, pointing to the “agility of this youthful continent” and the potential to provide it with “its own position as the relevant continent that it’s going to be” by 2050.

“We truly believe in Africa”, Mupita said, explaining MTN the tech-co “can give our people dignity, hope and opportunity”.

The post Operators eye verticals as key tech-co move appeared first on Mobile World Live.

South African newspaper Sunday Times reported earlier in the week that a number of executives at the African operator had threatened to quit because of Mupita’s behaviour. Among the complaints, he was apparently accused of giving a certain unnamed female executive preferential treatment. The story was also picked up by Bloomberg.

In a statement released today (6 September), MTN’s board stated it had commissioned an independent law company to conduct a probe into the allegations, which found there was no evidence of improper conduct. It added its “attempts to engage with the complainant were unsuccessful”.

“In its deliberations, the board accepted the report finding and is of the view that the matter has been addressed and is now closed.”

Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg reported ten out of 15 of MTN’s leading executives had also signed a memo backing the CEO.

Mupita has held the top job for four years and joined the company as CFO in 2017. His contract is up for renewal in 2025.

The post MTN CEO cleared after misconduct probe appeared first on Mobile World Live.

However, despite this milestone in Q1, the market for smartphones on the continent is still hampered by a number of issues, not least the significant barrier of even the cheapest models being prohibitively expensive for segments of the population.

Senior figures from African operators MTN Group and Vodacom Group told Mobile World Live (MWL) device affordability remained a major issue, with high taxation in some markets a significant contributor.

Cutting the retail price of handsets has been the subject of a number of initiatives over the years, from the creation of stripped-down models, to local manufacture and device financing schemes.

It is also the subject of the recently launched Handset Affordability Coalition comprising bodies including the GSMA, World Bank Group, ITU and various mobile operators.

IDC director mobile devices for EMEA Ramazan Yavuz told MWL some vendors are “offering very affordable entry-level smartphones which ease the transition from the feature phone to the smartphone”.

However, in many locations and for segments of populations, prices remain too high to make buying one a possibility.

The ASP in sub-Saharan Africa for IDC’s lowest classification of smartphone, the “ultra-low end”, stood at $71 in Q1.

Vodacom terminals managing executive Davide Tacchino said while there are a range of other issues at play, the cost of the device was “one of the key barriers jeopardising the adoption of smartphones”.

The average price the group pays for a 4-inch entry level 4G smartphone is $28 compared with $6 for a 2G feature phone, he added, with devices with larger screens costing even more.

Tacchino stated the price discrepancy between a good feature phone and entry-level smartphone was “very material” to some users in the region.

Aiming low
Unsurprisingly MTN chief consumer officer Enzo Scarcella stated “the lower the better” on pricing, highlighting in most of its markets an entry-level 4G smartphone with a 5-inch screen and 2500mAh battery retails at around $50.

Scarcella estimated if the price was brought down to $30, the expectation is it would “see run rates double”.

MTN is currently working with manufacturing partners on schemes to strip down specifications and features to bring the cost of the lowest-priced smartphones to that mark.

Here, the executive cited the potential of devices which essentially provided a “browser experience” where “everything you would want was in the cloud”.

Availability of cheaper standard entry-level smartphones is still suffering from something of a Covid-19 (coronavirus) hangover, Scarcella indicated, explaining in 2019 “the entry-level price point was $30 to about $50” with a “slowdown in 4G smartphone adoption” as this increased.

One reason for the price rise is said to be the well-publicised chip shortage in the wake of the pandemic.

“As the silicon chip shortage hit, a lot of the bigger OEMs used the available stock they had to go into higher-end devices because there was much better margin,” Scarcella added. “This meant there was a shortage of supply on the lower-end devices”.

Taxing questions
Outside manufacturing and base component costs, the trio pointed to the significant impact of import taxes and other policies in some markets.

Yavuz highlighted a rise in “protectionism” in some countries due to the global economic crisis, alongside “taxation regimes impeding the flow of smartphones”, adding the import of the devices “constitute considerable portions in some countries’ GDPs”.

Tacchino said taxation and other duties amounted to around 50 per cent in some nations, with a lack of dollar availability and foreign exchange rates also creating a barrier in some locations.

“If you import a smartphone or produce it locally you need to use US dollars because you cannot pay suppliers with your local currency, they will not accept it”.

“In some markets there isn’t the availability which is present in South Africa or in Kenya”.

This issue, he noted, constrained importers.

“What happens is, usually the government exports goods and retains some of these dollars, but when they use them there is a list of priorities and obviously food, medicines, other sectors could be prioritised against the smartphone”.

Scarcella told MWL easing duties could create a fast impact: “As soon as you reduce the tax regime, it goes straight into retail pricing and a reduction in retail pricing sees an increase in demand”.

As soon as you reduce the tax regime, it goes straight into retail pricing and a reduction in retail pricing sees an increase in demand

Enzo Scarcella, chief consumer officer MTN

He also highlighted any local taxes on social media proved a “disincentive to use the internet”, further hampering adoption.

To aid uptake, Scarcella backs greater state device subsidy programmes, given the relationship between increased internet usage and a rise in GDP.

Further down the supply chain, Tacchino pointed to issues with distribution, noting in markets like South Africa and Mozambique, where there are big retailers associated, mark-ups were often lower than elsewhere.

Citing Ethiopia, where Vodacom’s affiliate launched in 2022, he said in getting “a smartphone to an end user there could be five or six entities in the middle” especially in rural areas “and obviously all these entities are adding a mark-up”.

High finance
With up-front costs for devices prohibitive for some, it is unsurprising to learn device financing is becoming a popular means of getting smartphones into the hands of normal working people.

Unusually when speaking to rival operators, both Vodacom and MTN executives pointed to the same positive example here, device financing specialist M-Kopa.

Its website states it operates in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa and has over 4 million customers, though the figure includes other products bought on finance such as TVs.

Users make an initial deposit, complete ID checks and then take a smartphone away before paying the remainder of the device off in monthly, weekly or daily installments. Should a user fail to keep up repayments, the company can remotely disable the smartphone.

Both operator groups partner with M-Kopa in selected locations, while Scarcella highlighted MTN is also working on other models of device financing.

Tacchino cautioned the most common form of payment in Vodacom’s markets was still cash, though it was introducing financing options across its markets.

Describing it as an “interesting new topic”, the Vodacom executive added sometimes “you have to be careful because you are targeting a segment which has no credit scoring, they don’t have credit cards, we can’t vet this customer with the usual methods”.

While the price of new devices is too high for some, Tacchino pointed to the potential for second hand models on the continent.

“We are exploring the pre-owned smartphone topic because I believe there could be potential: if in the developed markets we start collecting smartphones and refurbishing them in some way and routing them to Africa”.

We are exploring the pre-owned smartphone topic because I believe there could be potential

Davide Tacchino, terminals managing executive Vodacom

However he noted for impact at the base level there would need to be a reliable way to collect used entry-level Androids rather than just iPhones and high-end models as currently “we are not able to find enough volume of the same device to be imported into Africa”.

Other costs
Although buoyant on the continued march of the smartphone against the feature phone on the continent, Yavuz cautioned feature phones still “do the best job” in some rural areas, citing mobile coverage problems and issues around access to electricity.

“Feature phones offer better battery life compared to smartphones,” he added. “So combine the lack of connectivity plus the need for electricity and this is a barrier for the smartphone”.

Although Yavuz raised coverage as still being an issue in some places, on the launch of the Handset Affordability Coalition last month, the GSMA estimated 3 billion people live in areas covered by mobile internet coverage but do not use it.

The post Feature: What is hampering the African smartphone market? appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a joint statement, the pair outlined an aim to find a mutually agreeable solution to a governance row first raised in June 2023, with MTN hitting out at IHS’ decision to cap the operator’s voting rights at 20 per cent.

With an ownership stake of approximately 26 per cent in IHS, MTN essentially wanted more power to nominate board members, a proposal which it faced pushback on.

Strained relations led to MTN Nigeria striking a deal with American Tower for the latter to take control of 2,500 of its network sites, currently managed by a local unit of IHS, starting in early 2025.

However, signs that MTN and IHS had made progress in burying the hatchet first came last week.

The companies announced an agreement to renew and extend all Nigerian tower Master Lease Agreements until December 2032 under new financial terms. They also completed the renewal of tower management deals across 26,000 MTN sites in six African markets.

MTN CEO Ralph Mupita said that with commercial agreements in place, it looked “forward to working constructively with IHS on the outstanding governance issues”.

The post MTN, IHS Towers look to settle differences appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Watch Amith Maharaj, MTN Group’s Executive for Networks and Shaun Collins, Executive Chairman of CCS Insight discussing MTN’s technology and network strategies in Africa including how MTN has built high-quality networks to maintain their lead in NPS.

The post PARTNER VIDEO: Leading the Digital Future in Africa – MTN Group’s Journey of Network Innovation appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Damush told the outlet it was buying MTN’s debt and equity in Guinea Bissau and Guinea-Conakry, but did not disclose any financial details. An official statement on the deals has not been released by either company at the time of writing.

Telecel is an Africa-focused service provider with operations in several markets including Ghana, Central Africa Republic and Liberia. It was bought by Damush and partners Hugues Mulliez and Nicolas Bourg in 2017.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Damush explained its expansion is part of aims to launch an IPO in three years, revealing London and Dubai would be its preferred options for a listing.

“We are also interested in further developments in the next years that would allow considering African bourse,” he added.

In other long-term plans, Damush said it was targeting acquisitions of two other prospects in Africa, with its next round of dealmaking focused on financial services and technology companies “that can add value to our investments”.

It is funding its expansion through financing from shareholders, in addition to raising money from funds, banks and equity investors.

Telecel completed a deal to acquire a 70 per cent stake in Vodafone’s Ghana division in February 2023.

The post Telecel agrees deal for MTN west Africa units appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In the company’s annual results statement, the executive highlighted the two issues as key challenges it needed to navigate in the short term, as it continues to focus on its multi-year strategy which includes cutting costs and pushing digital platforms in Africa.

Net profit across the business fell by 83 per cent year-on-year to ZAR4 billion ($221 million). Revenue was up 6.8 per cent to ZAR221.1 billion.  

On a more positive note, during the year the operator reported continued increases in demand for data and financial technology services.

Across the group its number of active data subscribers increased 9 per cent year-on-year to surpass half of its total subscriber base. At end-December it had 150 million mobile data users out of a total of 295 million customers.

Active mobile money users stood at just over 72 million (up 5 per cent year-on-year) with the value of transactions processed by the company’s various financial technology services standing at $272 billion. Increases in this area were attributed as being “driven by growth of advanced services in payments, banktech and remittance solutions”.

Mupita added within the finance area a deal signed with Mastercard “positions the business well to scale faster and we are excited about the commercial launches of card issuance, acceptance and remittances across the footprint.”

The post Currency woes in Nigeria hit MTN bottom-line   appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The pair have signed multiple previous agreements focused on financial services for Africa and emphasised the latest iteration of the partnership would broaden inclusion efforts from first time users to advanced business applications.

MTN’s mobile money platform operates across its markets in Africa and uses the Ericsson Wallet Platform, which processes transactions for service providers and financial institutions.

Alongside basic payment and remittance, focus areas for MTN’s service moving forward include growth of merchant and e-commerce payments, supporting advanced banking applications and insurance.

The extended pact includes a plan to transition services to the public cloud and refine MTN’s open API framework, moves the pair said would foster “acceleration of fintech innovation in Africa” by aiding enterprises in developing revenue-generating applications.

MTN chief fintech officer Serigne Dioum said its mobile money platform was already “advancing economic empowerment” across Africa, adding the “collaboration with Ericsson is a significant milestone in the execution of our Ambition 2025, building the largest and most valuable platform business and create shared value for our customers in Africa”.

The post Ericsson, MTN step up Africa fintech drive appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Leading operator MTN teamed with Huawei in 2022 to establish a 5G-connected coal mine operation at Canyon Coal’s Phalanndwa colliery in Delmas. Delmas is a farming town situated east of Johannesburg in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Phalanndwa colliery is a big operation; it produced over 1.7 million tons of coal in 2022. Indeed, the mining sector is a vital part of South Africa’s economy, contributing 8% of GDP, around US$32 billion, and directly employing half a million people.

But mining is an industry fraught with danger and challenges. According to provisional statistics, 49 workers died in South Africa’s mining sector in 2022. The industry also reported several serious injuries that year.

There are also challenges around the operational efficiencies of mining in South Africa. It is believed that 5G could enable up to 25% more ore production, over 40% more drill rig operations and 20% more energy savings by supporting automation and remote operations.

The ability for a dedicated private 5G network – running off Huawei’s Cloud technology and incorporating solutions from smart mining specialist Minetec – to improve both the safety and operational efficiency of the Phalanndwa colliery was therefore key to the project.

Safety
In 2023 Huawei and MTN implemented two major solutions in the Canyon Coal mine to improve safety: 5G video system and a 5G + IoT Proximity Detection System to prevent collisions of vehicles.

The 5G Video system offers a range of benefits. 5G can provide high bandwidth to upload and download high-definition videos. These can then be managed and analysed to improve accuracy and efficiency. For example, number plate identification allows staff at the colliery to analyse images in order to distinguish vehicle license plates and then compare them to a whitelist to ensure the vehicle is registered or authorised to enter the secured area.  

In essence, 5G video surveillance can check the mining area 24/7 to prevent illegal intrusion. In the event of malicious intrusion, the system can detect and send alarms to the relevant response teams.

Meanwhile the 5G + IoT Proximity Detection System (PDS) prevents the collision of vehicles and potential of fatalities by detecting vehicles near an enabled vehicle, sounding an alarm.

Vehicle-to-person collisions are a risk at mining bases because the large construction vehicles often have significant visual blind zones where people can inadvertently place themselves in great danger. Vehicle-to-vehicle collisions, often caused by driver carelessness, also run the risk of human casualty as well as financial loss. The PDS deployment enables an alarm to be activated when a vehicle comes within 5 metres of a physical object and auto braking then kicks in at a distance of 2 metres.

Operational efficiency
The number plate identification system outlined as part of the 5G video system improves operational efficiency at the colliery by automatically detecting the vehicles that enter and leave the mining area without the need for human intervention.

But there’s additional optimisation at the mine thanks to Huawei’s 5G smart conference system that provides remote meeting facilities integrating projection, whiteboarding and conferencing into a convenient communication process.

As part of the smart conference system Huawei’s private 5G network is coupled with a CPE and the vendor’s IdeaHub meeting panel platform to provide an effective working environment for colliery employees and improved communication.

“Phalanndwa colliery offers the perfect combination of the right technology with the right scenario, where the ultra-high bandwidth and ultra-low latency of 5G allows real-time communication among the mine workers,” said Fortune Wang, CEO of Huawei’s South Africa carrier business.

Security
The 5G private network at the colliery adheres to the most stringent security elements. The deployed solutions and services are fully independent and self-contained on the private network. There is no interfacing to MTN’s consumer core 5G network, all operations or faults on the consumer core network will not affect the private 5G network.

In terms of data security, the private 5G core is a Kite L-type Solution. It protects critical assets with network isolation, data protection and device/user authentication. It keeps the data sovereignty and ensures that sensitive information, such as production data, is stored locally.

AI boosting efficiency
As part of the 5G private network,MTN is deploying Artificial Intelligence to perform automatic detection and ore screening, which can significantly increase ore production. Should the conveyor belt break, the system will alert relevant parties to shorten the repair time. The intelligent sorting system uses x-ray capabilities to screen ore, efficiently identify ore grade and reduce waste ore refining, improving ore screening efficiency.

A smart market
Phalanndwa colliery’s smart mine is a pioneer case study in the potential of the 5G private network market. A recent GSMA Intelligence report found that while private 5G is offered by 12% of operators today, the expectation is that the majority of operators will offer private 5G by 2025.

“As most operators are going through internal organisational changes and reviewing their budgets for the coming years, they should ensure enough resources are allocated to private 5G solutions. This is also in line with when most operators plan to launch 5G beyond connectivity services,” noted the report.

Indeed, the project has achieved improvements in many areas – the most important being safety enhancement and productivity increase – but is also notable for its potential to scale further and provide greater benefit to MTN and enterprise customers.

MTN and Huawei have successfully deployed 5G based solutions in more than 7 mines in South Africa, including POC and live implementations. The duo are working with a wide variety of ecosystem partners and all parties are now creating innovative business models to generate strong returns on investment.

The post MTN and Huawei dig deep to make mining smart appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a blog, Mroue cited upcoming pilots with Lynk Global in Ghana and MTN’s home market of South Africa.

It is also in discussions with AST SpaceMobile for tests in Nigeria and South Sudan, and is engaging with Starlink on “enterprise-grade” trials in Rwanda and Nigeria.

Along with these players, it is in talks with Eutelsat OneWeb on another planned pilot in South Africa.  

MTN is assessing direct-to-device connectivity and standard satellite services, with the latter expected to deliver backhaul and support fixed enterprise deployments.

“Each collaboration, each pilot, and each successful trial and commercial deployment represents a deliberate step toward narrowing the digital divide, enriching lives and empowering the communities we serve,” he added.

The company has already completed a proof-of-concept with Lynk Global in a remote village in Liberia, which showed a standard device could receive an SMS message 25km from the nearest standard coverage.

It also has a partnership in place with Omnispace to explore use of its non-terrestrial network.

The post MTN outlines spate of satellite trials in universal access drive appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator cited completing the Mastercard investment as a focus for the current quarter. It also expects to finally exit Afghanistan in the next two months, with that process currently with regulators.   

MTN added it remains in discussions over the “potential orderly exit of three of our smaller operations in West Africa”, with its units in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry and Liberia on the block.

CEO Ralph Mupita pointed to signs inflation was easing across several of its markets during Q3, including in South Africa, Ghana and Uganda.

However, he noted foreign exchange rates remained volatile, especially in Nigeria where “naira devaluation had a material impact”.

In its home market of South Africa, Mupita said there had been continued issues with power outages, though reported “significant progress” in a network resilience programme designed to mitigate this.

MTN does not provide net profit figures for Q3, but booked revenue including the impact of hyperinflation of ZAR50.9 billon ($2.8 billion), down from ZAR53.5 billion in Q3 2022.  

The post MTN on-track for Afghan exit as talks on other sales continue appeared first on Mobile World Live.

During his keynote speech, Asante noted MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy was based on the view that “we believe everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life”, and includes wide-ranging efforts to support African enterprises and improve user value. 

A large part of this strategy entails the delivery and creation of the largest digital platforms, expanding the company’s existing portfolio. Asante also pointed out a commitment to invest $2 billion in capex every year, until 2025. 

The executive argued a fresh approach is required to cement partnerships with the government, noting that “business must respond to the needs of society sustainably and must complement state efforts” in delivering real, long-term growth in the continent’s digitalisation journey. 

Asante added the role of digitalisation will create “new opportunities at an individual, enterprise, state and societal levels”. 

However, he warned Africa needs to deploy its digital strategies at “twice the pace of the rest of the world”, noting a digital skills gap in the continent is well known. 

He cited a forecast which will see the arrival of 230 million digital-centric jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa, and that “we need to prioritise this fast”, highlighting upskilling in AI and computing. 

With this, he emphasised industry players and state actors to keep a close eye on the social impact of vast digitalisation: “The potential of digitalisation is limitless, and there lies a need to balance the ethics of digitalisation. We must not only use digitalisation to leapfrog development ladder but leapfrog its ails”. 

The post MTN SVP urges Africa digitalisation at scale  appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a stock exchange filing, MTN explained the decision followed a review of bids received in a tender to operate the tower assets, with American Tower deemed to have provided a superior submission.

MTN’s towers in Nigeria are currently operated by IHS Towers.

In 2014, the pair struck an agreement to transfer the operations of more than 9,000 Nigerian towers to the specialist company.

MTN stated American Tower’s takeover of some of its Nigerian towers “will further diversify our site portfolio” and align with its “proactive initiatives to renegotiate tower agreements”.

Bloomberg reported relations between the operator and IHS Towers have become strained, with a governance spat relating to a 26 per cent stake MTN Group holds in the infrastructure business.

The post American Tower wins MTN Nigeria deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Mupita said the African operator would welcome up to three more investors to join Mastercard, as it pushes ahead with its long-term Ambition 2025 project to raise cash from asset sales and other platforms.

In total, the company is open to selling “up to a maximum of 30 per cent of the fintech business. There might be three or maybe even four strategic partners within that”, added the chief executive.

Mastercard’s stake in the business was undisclosed, with the pair only revealing they had signed a memorandum of understanding for the investment, in addition to the development of more services.

Fintech is major sector for MTN and it counts around 60 million users of its services. Indeed, the company has long earmarked the segment as having the potential to raise cash and attract strategic partners.

It moved to separate the business as part of a wider strategic aim unveiled two years ago to cash in on various assets, as well as disposing parts of its business deemed non-core.

Mupita added that through mobile money and fintech services, it was able to “leapfrog people from not having any financial services to using the phone to provide a lot of financial services”.

The post MTN willing to sell 30% of fintech unit appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In its H1 earnings announcement, the South Africa-based company stated it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mastercard for the latter to make a minority investment into its fintech business, based on an enterprise valuation of around $5.2 billion.

MTN previously targeted a valuation of between $5 billion and $6 billion for the unit.

Ralph Mupita, CEO of MTN, said it chose MasterCard following a bespoke process to identify potential minority investors for the unit and it expects to sign a definitive agreement in the very near-term, following customary due diligence.

Mastercard has also invested $100 million in MTN rival Airtel Africa’s mobile money unit.

For MTN, the sale complements its Ambition 2025 project unveiled two years ago, which outlined a strategic repositioning to separate infrastructure assets and platforms like fintech to attract third party capital, investments and partnerships.

Earnings
In H1, the company booked service revenue of ZAR107.7 billion ($5.7 billion), a 16.5 per cent increase year-on-year, fuelled by gains in data and its fintech business.

Nigeria was a strong performer, with service revenue up 24 per cent to ZAR43.6 billion.

Growth in South Africa was more modest, up 1.9 per cent to ZAR20.4 billion.

Subscribers increased 3.6 per cent to 291.7 million, although mobile money customers remained at 60.5 million.

Mobile money transactions increased 61.6 per cent to $135.2 billion.

The company did not reveal full group revenue, net income or quarterly numbers.

The post MTN strikes Mastercard fintech deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The local unit live-streamed an event on Twitter, hailing the launch featuring speeches from company’s CEO Sylvia Mulinge (pictured), CTIO Monzer Ali and CMO Somdev Sen.

Initially, the next-generation network will be available for citizens to try in a  cluster around Lugogo Mall in the country’s capital Kampala, where it had found a high concentration of users of 5G-compatible devices.

Availability will be expanded in the coming weeks, with plans to complete a full rollout in the city by the end of 2024.

Over the next two years, the company is aiming for all its base stations in major cities to be 5G-capable.

Mulinge revealed the company had explored 5G in the country for the past two years and, with a bedrock now in place, it believed the network would “play a pivotal role in driving ICT solutions for economic growth” and marked a “giant stride in Uganda’s technological landscape”.

Ali added the network would serve as a catalyst for innovation across sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture and manufacturing, fuelling economic progress.

GSMA Intelligence placed MTN as Uganda’s largest operator by mobile connections, with 18.2 million at end-Q2, slightly ahead of Airtel Uganda’s 13.7 million.

Airtel Uganda is also expected to launch 5G services in Kampala in August.

The post MTN brings 5G to Uganda appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The collaboration centres on the supply of affordable smartphones to users who would not ordinarily be able to purchase a device. Each unit supplied on finance will come with a free starter data bundle totalling 3GB spread across the first three months.

Bboxx provides a platform connecting underserved communities to utilities, financial services and other products. Within this, it offers hardware financing.

The pair noted the collaboration aimed to build on a goal by authorities to ensure every household has a smartphone. Current penetration of the devices in Rwanda is estimated at 23.5 per cent by the partners.

Although both companies already offered smartphone financing prior to the tie-up, they noted the goal is to “maximise synergies” between their products, services and retail capacity to “achieve faster smartphone penetration”.

Bboxx noted on its platform repayments could be made over six or 12 months through MTN’s mobile money platform. Payment history for the devices will be included on an individual’s credit record, which could make them eligible for loans from other financial institutions.

MTN Rwanda CEO Mapula Bodibe said the collaboration “represents a significant step in bridging the digital divide by expanding access to affordable smartphones across the country”.

The post MTN inks Rwanda smartphone financing deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement, the company announced Aqil will be appointed to the role of executive BankTech within its financial technology business. The division he is set to join currently serves more than 69 million monthly active users across 16 markets, MTN added.

News of Aqil’s departure from Pakistan-based Telenor Microfinance Bank broke in local media last month.

In an interview with Pakistan Today, the chief announced he was set to take a role in a different geographical market, leaving a job he held since 2019.

Prior to working for the Pakistan mobile payment player, he held a number of roles in the country and the US across the financial services and technology sectors.

Announcing the appointment, MTN fintech officer Serigne Dioum said the executive’s “wealth of experience in the financial services sector and diverse background will undoubtedly ensure that we continue to break new ground in our ongoing efforts to promote financial inclusion across the continent”.

The post MTN bolsters banking arm with Telenor exec appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Its openness to sell the three units was flagged by the operator in 2022, with the offer on the table confirmed during its financial results statement for Q1.

The suitor for the units already owns a number of assets on the continent including mobile businesses in Tanzania, Senegal, Togo and Zanzibar, along with a tower business in Uganda.

MTN’s potential divestment of some assets in Africa follows its exit from various markets in the Middle East, as it seeks to focus on its core operations.

As part of the latest financial update MTN also flagged it was “well progressed” on engagements to bring minority investors into its financial technology business, with this process expected to be completed in the current quarter.

Aside from strategic moves to reshape its business, MTN cited a difficult operating environment in Q1, highlighting inflation across its markets and the impact of currency rates on capex.

CEO Ralph Mupita also noted the continuation of problems with power outages in South Africa, which is impacting network availability in its home market.

Despite the issues, the company reported increases in subscriber numbers across the business, with active data subscribers up almost 12 per cent year-on-year and users of its mobile money service 5 per cent higher.

Revenue was ZAR55.5 billion ($2.9 billion), up 16 per cent. The company does not break out profit figures in Q1.

The post MTN mulls offer for trio of units in West Africa appeared first on Mobile World Live.