Telecom
Airtel Makes Africa’s 10 Most Admired Global Brands
Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications service provider with operations in 20 countries across South Asia and Africa, has consolidated its position as one of Africa’s top ten most admired global brands.
A new survey conducted by the African Business magazine indicates that despite only a 3 year presence in Africa, Airtel surpassed Japanese car manufacturer Honda and earned ninth position on the list of the top ten most admired global brands on the continent.
Except for Samsung which grew its brand value year-on-year by 121 per cent, Airtel’s 30 percent brand value increase was better than any of the others in the top ten, including that of leader Coca Cola, which grew just 27 percent. Its 30 per cent brand value growth indicates that the telecommunications company is connecting with communities on the African continent.
Commenting on the achievement, Andre Beyers, chief marketing officer at Airtel Africa, said: “When we launched the Airtel brand in 2010, our overall vision was to be the most loved brand in Africa by 2015. This recognition from the African Business Awards is proof that we are on the right track. ”
He added: “During the past three years, we have invested resources to provide customers with value added services and have reached out to the communities that we serve. We expect even better results over the coming years.”
Airtel Africa now has the largest 3G country footprint in sub Saharan Africa. The telecommunications company, which has launched 3G services in 14 African countries, recently hit the 15 million data user landmark in Africa.
In addition, Airtel Money is positioned to become Africa’s most preferred financial services provider. With a coverage across Airtel Africa’s operations in 17 African countries, the mobile money platform is poised to serve more Africans than any other financial institution in Africa by 2015.
Leveraging a network of over 100,000 agent locations, Airtel Money facilitates access to financial services for the unbanked population.
The success of Airtel Africa across all of its 17 African markets can also be linked to its social responsibility strategy which aims at creating a positive impact on local communities.
The telecommunications company has leveraged music and football to create an emotional connection with communities all over Africa.
Initiatives like the Airtel Rising Stars football tournament, Africa’s largest youth football tournament for girls and boys in collaboration with Manchester United and Arsenal; and Nigeria’s Got Talent reality show, which both aim at identifying and nurturing local talent, have helped enhance the brand’s popularity on the continent.
“Customers may choose our products and services because they are useful and affordable, but they also connect with Airtel as a brand because it connects with their passions”, concluded Mr. Beyers.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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