Airtel Africa on Tuesday announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity across all its 14 markets that serve 174 million customers. Through this partnership, Airtel Africa customers with compatible smartphones in regions without terrestrial coverage can have network connectivity through Starlink, which is the world’s largest 4G connectivity provider (by geographic reach). The satellite-to-mobile service will begin in 2026 with data for select applications and text messaging. This agreement also includes support for Starlink’s first broadband Direct to Cell system, with next-generation satellites that will be capable of providing high-speed connectivity to smartphones with 20x improved data speed. The…
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WPP Scangroup Plc has announced the appointment of Akua Brayie Owusu-Nartey as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and CEO of Ogilvy Africa, effective November 17, 2025. She will also join the company’s board as an Executive Director. The significant leadership change underscores WPP Scangroup’s commitment to strengthening its strategic direction and operational excellence across Sub-Saharan Africa. Ms. Owusu-Nartey brings over 18 years of experience in integrated communications, brand transformation, and business growth across Africa. She is recognized for her ability to revitalise underperforming businesses and manage large cross-functional teams. Her leadership spans key African markets, including Ghana, Nigeria,…
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Airtel Africa is preparing to take its mobile money arm, Airtel Money, public in the first half of 2026, with Citigroup advising on the process, a Bloomberg report shows. The move is part of a long running plan by the telecom operator to unlock value from its fast growing financial services business, which has become a core driver of revenue and profitability across its African markets. Executives have already begun meeting investors in Dubai, a signal that the Gulf region could play a significant role in shaping the offering. While the company has not committed to a final decision on…
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Airtel Uganda Limited has announced the appointment of Mrs. Alice Wangari Kariuki and Mr. Neeraj Jain as new Non-Executive Directors, filling board vacancies left by the departure of Mr. Alok Bafna and Mr. Ramakrishna Lella, who stepped down after more than six years of distinguished service. The changes, effective 27 August 2025, were disclosed in a notice to the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE) in line with the exchange’s listing rules. The outgoing directors, both inaugural members of the Risk and Audit Committee, were credited with helping shape Airtel Uganda’s strategic, governance, and compliance agenda. In welcoming the new appointees, the…
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Airtel Africa and Vodacom Group have announced a strategic infrastructure-sharing agreement in key markets, including Mozambique, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), pending regulatory approvals in these countries. This agreement represents a significant step toward promoting digital inclusion and expanding access to reliable connectivity across Africa. The initial focus of the partnership is on sharing fiber networks and tower infrastructure to accelerate the rollout of digital services in these markets. This collaboration aims to increase connectivity for customers while reducing infrastructure costs for the operators and improving speed to market. By leveraging existing infrastructure, both companies aim to…
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Xtelify, a fully owned subsidiary of Bharti Airtel (‘Airtel’) housing all of Airtel’s digital assets and capabilities has launched an AI-powered, future-ready software platform that will help telcos all around…
Airtel’s East Africa operations recorded strong growth in the latest quarter, driven by surging data consumption, an expanding customer base, and continued investment in network infrastructure. Reported revenue from mobile…
Uganda’s biggest Fintech, MTN Mobile Money (MoMo), is moving out of the family home. Long treated as just another product line within the telecom’s machinery, MoMo is being carved out into a separate corporate entity—MTN New FinCo—with ambitions to scale faster, partner globally, and perhaps one day join Africa’s elusive unicorn club. It’s a shift more than a decade in the making. Launched in 2009, MoMo lived for years as a revenue-generating cog inside MTN Uganda’s telecom engine. Its financials were buried within a blended mix of voice, data, and airtime earnings. Even after the 2021 National Payment Systems Act…
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Until 2007, mobile phone subscribers had largely known voice and short message texting needs. In fact, for a long time, the mobile phone had no major use apart from making and receiving calls, and occasionally sending short text messages. However, in 2007, after 11 years of launching in 1998, MTN broke new ground with the launch of WiMAX broadband services, a cutting-edge product that would propel mobile phone users into the future. By 2007, it had been 12 years since the launch of the first mobile phone in Uganda by Celtel, and later by MTN, which launched in 1998….
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By 2005, Uganda’s telecom sector had firmly matured. With a compound annual growth rate of above 15%, it had set the stage rolling to overtake banking as one of the fastest-growing sectors. The sector also presented vast opportunities to a country whose growth had slowed in the late 2000s. Thus, it was a highly competitive sector that attracted some of the best brains, employing a mix of local and expatriate talent, who would later become the face of the telecom sector and set the stage for future growth and innovation. As Uganda marks 30 years since the launch of the…
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