Telecom
Africa’s Top Telco CEOs Want Mobile Industry Tax Reductions
Six African CEOs of the continent’s largest telcos have urged governments to establish new policies to expedite the positive and inclusive impacts of mobile technology, in order to address investment and usage gaps.
The CEOs made the announcement this week in Rwanda.
The group included Segun Ogunsanya, Airtel Africa Group; Hassanein Hiridjee, Axian Group; Frehiwot Tamru, Ethio Telecommunications; Ralph Mupita, MTN Group; Jerome Henique, Orange Middle East and Africa; and Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group.
The CEOs met in Kigali, Rwanda, at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) Kigali 2023, to discuss the prospects and obstacles for stronger partnerships with African governments, to achieve digital inclusion and mobile infrastructure development across the continent.
The CEOs’ announcement comes as calls are growing to urgently get African economies fit for the digital age through supportive legislation for the telecoms sector.
Mupita – who leads Africa’s largest telecom provider – recently called for balanced laws that increase investor confidence, promote innovation and drive growth in the industry.
At the time, he said: “Regulation is a potential massive driver of the growth and transformation of the industry. The regulatory frameworks that we have had over the last 20 years have served us very well. They were designed in the transition era from voice to data, basically from 2G to 3G technology.
“But these regulatory frameworks are not fit for the future, and without change, will keep Africa behind as the rest of the world advances. They are based on a belief that you need four to five, or even six player markets when we see consolidation globally in many markets.”
Fast forward to this week, the CEOs met with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, MWC host and chairman of the Smart Africa board, who was accompanied by Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s minister of information, communications and innovation.
The CEO group said in a statement: “Success is a team game. And further political support, across the continent, is essential to register meaningful progress.
“This includes facilitating the right market structures and conditions to avoid unnecessary fragmentation, and policies that support the investment environment needed for success.”
The CEOs went on to call upon African leaders and policymakers to partner them on digital development with the mobile industry by reimagining existing structures.
The group said there must be tax rationalisation for the mobile industry through the development of targeted fiscal policy reforms that support economic growth and digital development, deepening digital and financial inclusion, and aligned with national targets; for example, removal of tax on low-cost smartphones and sector-specific tax.
Secondly, they are seeking regulatory support to implement the recommendations of the UN Broadband Commission’s ‘21st Century Financing Models for Bridging Broadband Connectivity Gaps’.
The third plea from the CEOs was on climate action policies, which they said must improve access to renewable electricity for corporate buyers, as this is essential for the mobile industry to achieve its climate targets.
“Together, we believe passionately in the power of mobile to act as a catalyst for economic and social inclusion across Africa. We extend an open invitation to other African heads of state to engage with us in driving solutions that focus on deepening digital and financial inclusion in the continent for the benefit of all African citizens,” the group said.
Airtel Africa reported a profit after tax of $376 million for the half year ended September 30, 2025 as compared to $79 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, benefitting from a $90 million gain largely arising from Nigerian naira appreciation during the current quarter (Q2’26) and the Central African franc (CFA) appreciation during the previous quarter (Q1’26).
Revenues at $2,982 million for the reported period saw strong growth as compared to $2,370 million in the six months of the last fiscal, rising 24.5% in constant currency and 25.8% in reported currency.
The company said constant currency revenue growth reflects the consistent execution of its strategy, supported by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and continued strong growth momentum in Francophone Africa.
“Our strategy has been focussed on providing a superior customer experience and the strength of these results is testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business,” Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of the company said in a statement.
He said the company has been scaling the network to build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion.
“The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Taldar said.
Capex for the period stood at $318 million. “We have increased our capex guidance for FY’26 to between $875m and $900m – from ‘between $725 million and $750 million’.
This reflects our decision to accelerate our ability to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity that is available across the region, as is reflected by these strong H1’26 results,” the company said.
During the period, the company continued investments in network with the rollout of over 2,350 new sites to over 38,300 sites and an expansion of its fibre network by approx. 4,000 kms to over 81,000 kms.
Vitel Wireless Limited, a GSM second level operator, licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to begin nationwide operations on October 30.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Themed “Blue is Here,” the launch event will unveil E-SIMs, physical SIMs, and smart connectivity solutions for individuals and businesses
With the tagline “Everything Connected,” Vitel aims to redefine communication in Nigeria through innovation, speed, and trust.
In a statement earlier, Vitel Wireless, said it combines reliability with innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless connectivity and intelligent solutions across the country.
“The company’s services go beyond communication — they integrate safety, mobility, and smart systems to enhance how individuals, businesses, and communities connect,” the statement reads.
According to Engr Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman, Vitel Wireless, at the heart of the telco’s mission is a bold vision to redefine mobile communication through technology that not only connects people but also protects them.
He highlighted the features saying the device is embedded with IoT-driven devices, smart logistics solutions and AI-powered safety analytics.
“Vitel Wireless is more than a telecom brand — it’s a movement toward a smarter, safer, and more connected Nigeria. Our goal is to bridge technology and humanity, using mobile innovation to improve lives, empower businesses, and strengthen national security,” Engr. Nwabueze said.
He stated that the Vitel Wireless team has interconnected with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and has a roaming agreement with MTN for nationwide rollout, extending Vitel Wireless coverage as one of the largest networks in Nigeria.
“Vitel Wireless has partnered with NCC and various law enforcement agencies to define and support key regulatory frameworks that now govern the nation’s telecom space in personal and public safety,” he said.
He added that the value added service includes Xphone -free phone calls and low international calling rates, SecureMe -location awareness solution for personal safety, Oga-App -employment enhancement and performance tool, ISEEYOU -AI-based CCTV with real-time alerts, AssetNow -LBS/GPS-based asset tracker, and many more.
“Vitel Wireless’s nationwide rollout signals a new era for the telecom industry — one where connectivity meets intelligence, and technology serves both purpose and people,” Nwabueze added.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in collaboration with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has announced the shortlist of 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at fostering home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, community conservation, and sustainability.
According to a joint statement by the organisers, the top 100 were selected from a pool of 2,169 applications received nationwide. The selection process involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by 20 expert assessors, guided by a robust framework to ensure fairness and consistency.
“The shortlisted innovators represent the brightest minds committed to environmental resilience,” the statement read. “Their solutions span high-impact sectors and are designed to address both national and continental environmental issues.”
The PachiPanda programme offers participants access to mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and a network of industry experts. The next phase will see a further evaluation to determine the Top 10 finalists, who will be unveiled ahead of a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass event scheduled for November 2025 in Lagos.
During the event, finalists will undergo intensive training to refine their business strategies and enhance their solutions for broader impact. Winners of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge will advance to the continental Africa PachiPanda Contest, where they will compete with other national champions.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the programme underscores MTN Nigeria’s commitment to eco-entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, empowering youth-led enterprises to drive green innovation across Africa.
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