Industry News

Ghana is preparing a new Data Protection Bill to bring Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, automated decision-making, deepfakes and cross-border data transfers under formal legal oversight for the first time, with Parliament’s Select Committee on Communications urging the government to move the legislation to the floor of the House without delay.

Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George announced the bill on March 2 at the 2026 Data Protection Conference in Accra, saying the proposed legislation was designed to modernise Ghana’s data protection regime in response to increasingly complex global data ecosystems and the growing deployment of AI across health, finance, telecommunications and the public sector. He said the objective was to strengthen enforcement mechanisms, clarify international data transfer rules and enhance citizens’ rights, ensuring that Ghana’s legal framework remained relevant as technology evolved.

The Minister also disclosed that a separate Emerging Technologies Bill was being developed to provide structured oversight for AI systems, advanced analytics, digital assets and new digital platforms, stressing that the legislation aimed not to stifle innovation but to guide it responsibly. A Data Harmonisation initiative is additionally underway to reduce regulatory fragmentation across financial services, telecommunications and the public sector.

Days after the conference, Data Protection Commission (DPC) Executive Director Dr. Arnold Kavaarpuo told media in Parliament that the new bill would specifically address data harvesting by multinationals, the absence of local data infrastructure, and the regulatory gaps created by machine learning and deepfake technologies. Abednego Bandim Azumah, the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu and Chairman of Parliament’s ICT Select Committee, called the legislation urgent, saying: “We need laws to cover AI, cyber threats, and data misuse by multinationals, and the power to enforce penalties for violations.”

The DPC’s 2026 Data Protection Week launched in January already signalled the shift from education to enforcement. Dr. Kavaarpuo warned at the January 26 launch that organisations that had not registered with the Commission under Section 27 of the Data Protection Act (DPA) must do so without delay, and that Section 56 of the Act prescribes fines and imprisonment for non-compliance. The annual Data Protection Week has been expanded into a month-long national programme to accelerate public awareness ahead of stricter enforcement.

The case for urgency was illustrated at the conference by Dr. Kavaarpuo through the account of a Ghanaian teacher whose mobile loan default led to a lender accessing her contact list and circulating her personal information publicly. “Data protection is not merely a technical issue but one of power, responsibility and consequence,” he said, describing the incident as representative of how personal information shared under financial pressure can be weaponised.

Ghana’s data governance debate has intensified in parallel with a planned nationwide SIM card re-registration exercise, for which policy think tank IMANI Africa has demanded seven minimum legal safeguards before citizens are asked to submit biometric data again, citing failures in the 2022 registration to securely authenticate the biometrics of  30 million participants against National Identification Authority records.

Source : www.newsghana.com.gh

A strong performance in key markets, notably Ghana and Nigeria, has helped boost MTN Group’s annual earnings in a year that the group surpassed the 300-million subscriber milestone.

Group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) before one-off items grew by 36.8% in constant currency to R98.5bn in the year ended in December, reflecting an expansion in margin by 5.4 percentage points to 44.5%. On a reported basis, EBITDA was up 64%.

Group revenue rose to R226.7bn from R188bn a year ago. Service revenue was 22.9% higher at R218.5bn on a reported basis and up 22.7% in constant currency, with data revenue up 37.7% on a reported basis and fintech revenue up 30%.

The group reported a profit after tax of R27.4bn after a loss of R10.9bn a year ago. Adjusted headline earnings per share was up 67% at 1,359c and a final dividend of 500c per share was declared, up 45%

Total customers grew 5.6% to 307.2 million, after MTN connected 16.3 million net new customers to its networks, with active data customers rising 9.4% to 172.6 million and mobile money (MoMo) monthly active customers up 10% to 69.5 million.

The group reported a 14.9% increase in fintech transaction volumes to 23.3 billion, with a transaction value of $500.3bn, up 37.6%.

“In the final year of our Ambition 2025 strategy, MTN Group is proud to have exceeded the 300-million-customer milestone, in alignment with our priority to deepen digital and financial inclusion in the markets we serve,” said CEO Ralph Mupita.

“We remain committed to leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”

He added that operationally, MTN delivered strong growth in earnings, free cash flow and improved returns. The performance was underpinned by improved macroeconomic conditions in key markets and driven by strong operational execution and disciplined capital allocation.

The group deployed capex of R38.5bn during the year to enhance the capacity, coverage and quality, including accelerated investment to support stronger growth in MTN Nigeria and MTN Ghana.

Operationally, MTN intends to remain focused on maintaining the robust performances in MTN Nigeria, MTN Ghana and MTN Uganda and the traction in various markets within its broader portfolio

“We will also continue driving the initiatives to improve the performance in MTN South Africa, particularly in prepaid.”

It said while current macro conditions are supportive of the business, it notes the rapidly evolving developments in global geopolitics. 

“Notably, the conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and elsewhere create added uncertainty for global and local macro conditions, including potential impacts on indicators such as energy supply and prices, foreign exchange rate volatility and the trajectory of inflation in our markets. If sustained, the escalating geopolitical risks may adversely impact our operating environment and prospects, including our market guidance,” it said.

Source : www.businessday.co.za

The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has engaged Huawei Technologies to discuss strategies aimed at strengthening rural telephony services across Ghana during the 2026 edition of the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain.

The GIFEC delegation was led by Mr Tanko Rashid Computer, the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer, while the Huawei delegation was headed by Li Junfeng, Vice President of Huawei and Chief Executive Officer of the company’s Global Public Sector Business Unit. The meeting focused on exploring innovative technological solutions to support the expansion and improvement of GIFEC’s Rural Telephony Project.

The project is a key initiative designed to extend telecommunications infrastructure and digital connectivity to underserved and unserved communities across Ghana.

During the engagement, the Huawei team presented a range of advanced rural telephony solutions. They included the latest version of the Rural Telephony Project masts designed to enhance connectivity in remote area by providing reliable network infrastructure capable of supporting improved voice and data services.

The Huawei team further demonstrated how the upgraded systems could help strengthen network quality and expand coverage in rural communities. The presentation provided the GIFEC delegation with insights into the technological capabilities of the new infrastructure and how it could significantly improve connectivity in areas that currently experience limited or no acces to telecommunications services.

Mr Rashid-Computer said the discussions formed part of GIFEC’s broader efforts to expand rural connectivity and strengthen telecommunications services nationwide. He noted that improving the Rural Telephony Project remained a key priority for the Fund as it worked to ensure that citizens in underserved and remote communities benefited from reliable digital communication services.

The GIFEC Boss said enhanced infrastructure and improved network solutions would support the rollout of 3G and 4G services in those communities, enabling greater access to digital opportunities, information services and socioeconomic development.

The engagement at the Mobile World Congress highlights GIFEC’s continued commitment to building strategic partnerships with global technology providers to accelerate Ghana’s digital transformation agenda.

By leveraging innovative telecommunications infrastructure, GIFEC aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure universal access to information and communication technology services across the country.

Source: gna.org.gh

Gabon’s Minister of Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation, Mark-Alexandre Doumba, held a working meeting with representatives of Huawei during the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, to review progress on a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at advancing the country’s digital transformation agenda.

The meeting focused on accelerating the implementation of several strategic projects designed to strengthen Gabon’s digital ecosystem. Key areas discussed included the deployment of digital education initiatives such as pilot Smart Classrooms in selected schools, the expansion of national digital infrastructure through backbone and connectivity projects, and the development of a national data center to support digital services and enhance data sovereignty.

Discussions also covered training and talent development programmes in digital professions as well as technology solutions for sectors including e-government, digital health and cloud computing.

Officials from both sides reviewed the next operational steps, including the formation of joint technical teams, the preparation of detailed technical and financial proposals and the planning of pilot projects.

The engagement reflects Gabon’s efforts to strengthen international technology partnerships as it seeks to accelerate the digitalization of public services, expand digital infrastructure and build skills needed to support the country’s digital economy.

Source : www.techreviewafrica.com

MTN Group posted excellent operational and financial results for 2025, delivering significantly on our Ambition 2025strategy and transitioning to Ambition 2030 priorities to capture value from the attractive structural growth opportunities brought about by accelerated data adoption and financial inclusion across Africa.

We reported very strong commercial outcomes led by MTN Nigeria and MTN Ghana; a resilient performance from MTN South Africa; robust free cash flow; improved return generation; and a 45% jump in the dividend.

We also unveiled an enhanced shareholder remuneration framework, including a R6 billion share buyback programme, and re-affirmed our medium-term guidance, updating our return and leverage metrics.

“The Group’s overall performance in 2025 was excellent. In the final year of our Ambition 2025 strategy, we were proud to have exceeded the 300 million customers milestone in line with our priority to deepen digital and financial inclusion,”said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita.

At 31 December 2025 across 16 markets, we served more than 307 million voice, 172 million data and 70 million Mobile Money customers. Increases were supported by diligent commercial execution as well as sustained investment of R38 billion to enhance the capacity, coverage and quality of our networks and platforms.

MTN’s data traffic accelerated by 27%, with average monthly data use per customer up at 12.5GB from 10.8GB. We continued to scale our fintech platform, growing the ecosystem and benefiting from greater customer take-up of more advanced services. This supported a 15% increase in the volume of transactions to more than 23 billion in the year, with total transaction value topping US$500 billion.

In line with our commitment to create shared value, we contributed approximately R150 billion in economic and social value across Africa; expanded broadband coverage to more than 94% of the population; and cut the cost of data to communicate for customers by an average 14%. Our work with communities, nation states and other stakeholders led to the achievement of our strongest reputation and trust scores since the launch of our Reputation Index Survey in 2019.

Underpinned by improved macroeconomic conditions, the Group increased service revenue by nearly a quarter to R218 billion. In constant-currency terms MTN Nigeria and MTN Ghana – which announced results in late February – lifted service revenue by 54.9% and 35.9% respectively. MTN SA increased service revenue by 2.0%, demonstrating operational resilience and sustained commercial momentum as it navigated the challenges of 

a mature and competitive market.

At R98.5 billion, earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (before once-off items) were up by more than a third in constant currency. This was supported by expense efficiencies of R3.6 billion in the year. Basic earnings per share (EPS) swung from a loss in 2024 to a profit in 2025 and adjusted headline EPS increased by 67%.

With a sustained healthy financial position and balance sheet flexibility, MTN declared a dividend of 500 cents per share from 345 cents in 2024, comfortably outstripping the minimum 370 cents the Board of Directors had anticipated.

The Group also announced an evolution of strategy, unveiling Ambition 2030, which streamlines our execution approach into three principal platforms of choice for consumers, homes and businesses: Connectivity; Fintech; and Digital Infrastructure. Through the strategy, we are energised to provide the leading customer experience, leveraging AI for growth and creating shared value.

While remaining vigilant to evolving risks in global geopolitics, Mupita said Ambition 2030 embodied the right framework to sustain MTN’s medium-term growth and value-creation journey: “We are hugely excited about Africa’s potential and are well positioned to leverage our scale, footprint and brand leadership to capture the significant structural growth opportunities identified. We are committed to accelerate our impact and empower the people, businesses and nation states we serve.”

Source : www.mtn.com

Ghana’s telecommunications sector has long played a central role in the country’s digital transformation, powering everything from mobile banking and e-commerce to education and logistics. In such an environment, even small shifts in pricing can have meaningful implications for households, businesses and the wider economy.

It is against this backdrop that MTN Ghana has moved to pass on the benefits of recent tax reforms to consumers by reducing tariffs across a broad range of its telecommunications services.

The move follows a revision to Ghana’s Value Added Tax (VAT) structure under the Value Added Tax Act, 2025 (Act 1151), which lowered the effective VAT rate from 21.9 per cent to 20 per cent. The change resulted primarily from the abolition of the one per cent COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, the re-coupling of the National Health Insurance Levy and GETFund levy with the VAT base to enable input tax credit claims, and the elimination of the VAT Flat Rate Scheme in favour of a unified structure.

With telecommunications services falling within the scope of VAT, the reform directly affects the cost of voice calls, data bundles and other digital services used daily by millions of Ghanaians.

In response, MTN Ghana announced that it had reduced tariffs on all its products and services, with the revised pricing taking effect from January 2, 2026, just a day after the new VAT regime came into force.

Within Ghana’s regulatory landscape, the company’s decision to implement immediate tariff reductions carries notable significance.

The telecommunications market is overseen by the National Communications Authority, which in 2020 designated MTN Ghana as a Significant Market Player (SMP) due to its dominant share of the sector.

The SMP classification came with regulatory measures aimed at promoting competitive balance in the industry. Among other things, the designation required the company to adjust certain tariffs, particularly those related to on-net voice calls between subscribers on the same network

Despite those restrictions, MTN Ghana has remained one of the most competitively priced operators in the country’s telecoms market.

Its latest move to adjust tariffs following the VAT reduction reflects a broader corporate strategy aimed at maintaining affordability while aligning its pricing structure with prevailing macroeconomic policy.

The reductions apply across a wide range of services. These include voice call tariffs, data bundles, international direct dial (IDD) services, roaming charges, enterprise and SME packages, as well as device pricing and bundled service offerings.

In practical terms, the tariff adjustments mirror the change in the effective VAT rate. With the tax component in service pricing declining by 1.9 percentage points, most of MTN Ghana’s tariffs have been reduced slightly across the board rather than through dramatic headline cuts.

For instance, call charges on some plans have dropped marginally from GH¢0.144 per minute to about GH¢0.1421 per minute. While the reduction may appear modest at the individual transaction level, the cumulative savings across millions of subscribers and daily transactions can be substantial.

Swift implementation

One of the most notable aspects of the adjustment was the speed with which it was implemented.

The revised VAT structure came into effect on January 1, 2026. MTN Ghana’s tariff reductions followed almost immediately, taking effect the next day.

To facilitate the transition, the company conducted a system maintenance window between midnight and 4 a.m. on January 2 to update its billing platforms and ensure they reflected the new tax structure.

The quick response effectively translated government tax policy into immediate savings for telecom consumers.

Such responsiveness also underscores the growing interconnection between fiscal policy and the digital services ecosystem. As telecommunications becomes increasingly embedded in everyday economic activity, policy changes affecting the sector tend to have ripple effects across multiple areas of the economy

Despite regulatory limits associated with its SMP status, MTN Ghana continues to occupy a commanding position within the telecommunications industry.

Research by Journalists for Business Advocacy, a network of financial and economic journalists, suggests the company remains widely perceived as the most cost-competitive operator in the market.

This competitiveness is underpinned by several structural advantages. The company’s extensive network infrastructure, large subscriber base and economies of scale enable it to deliver services at relatively lower unit costs compared with smaller competitors.

Even under regulatory constraints, many of its service packages continue to offer strong value to price-sensitive consumers.

At the time the SMP classification was introduced, MTN Ghana controlled approximately 57 per cent of the country’s voice market and nearly 68 per cent of the mobile data segment.

These figures were cited by regulators as evidence of the company’s significant influence over industry pricing and market dynamics.

However, developments since then suggest the operator’s market leadership has continued to strengthen. According to the latest industry data from the NCA, MTN Ghana’s share of the mobile voice market has grown to about 72.7 per cent, while its mobile data market share has climbed to roughly 79 per cent.

These figures illustrate the scale at which the company operates within Ghana’s telecommunications ecosystem.

Wider economic implications

The economic significance of reduced telecommunications tariffs extends well beyond the immediate savings experienced by consumers.

Lower communication costs can enhance productivity across a wide range of sectors by making it easier for businesses to coordinate operations, engage customers and access digital platforms.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often operate on tight margins, affordable voice and data services can meaningfully reduce operating expenses while expanding access to digital markets.

Industries that depend heavily on mobile connectivity stand to benefit particularly from lower telecom costs. These include ride-hailing services, mobile money platforms, e-commerce businesses and digital media providers.

The reductions may also help accelerate the expansion of Ghana’s digital economy.

Mobile connectivity serves as the primary gateway to the internet for many citizens. As such, lower data costs can increase internet accessibility and encourage broader adoption of online services.

Greater connectivity supports financial inclusion by enabling more people to participate in mobile banking and digital payments. It also contributes to improved digital literacy, as more individuals gain access to online education resources, information services and communication platforms.

The telecommunications sector also acts as a foundation for innovation. Start-ups, fintech companies and technology-driven service providers rely heavily on stable and affordable digital infrastructure to operate effectively

By reducing the cost burden on both consumers and businesses, MTN Ghana’s tariff adjustments could encourage higher usage of digital services, potentially stimulating demand across multiple segments of the digital economy.

MTN Ghana’s decision to translate the benefits of VAT reform into lower tariffs highlights the interplay between government policy and corporate strategy within regulated industries.

For consumers, the impact is immediate in the form of slightly lower costs for essential digital services.

For businesses, the reductions help ease operating expenses in an environment where connectivity has become integral to daily operations.

And for the broader economy, the move strengthens the affordability of the digital infrastructure that increasingly supports productivity, innovation and long-term growth.

As Ghana continues its transition toward a more digitally driven economy, policies and corporate decisions that improve access to affordable telecommunications services are likely to remain central to sustaining that momentum.

Source : www.graphic.com.gh

Telecel Ghana plans to increase network infrastructure investment by about 150 per cent in 2026, according to Chief Executive Officer Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai.

The company says it is expanding capacity to meet rising mobile data demand and position itself for the next phase of digital connectivity in Ghana.

The telecom operator recorded nearly 30 per cent revenue growth and returned to profitability in 2025.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Ing. Obo-Nai said 2025 marked a financial turning point for the business, supported by pricing adjustments, revised product value and customer growth.

“This is one of my best years. We grew almost 30 per cent at the end of the 2025 financial year, and we declared profits for the first time in a long while.

“The change in commercial strategy has been helpful, including investments in service value and adjustments to data allocations to better align with consumer expectations,” she said.

The stronger earnings come alongside a significant expansion in network infrastructure. Telecel increased its number of sites to about 9,000 from roughly 5,000 reflecting one of the company’s largest capacity additions in recent years, as usage shifts increasingly towards data-heavy applications across Ghana.

Ing. Obo-Nai said investment spending will focus on adding network capacity, improving service reliability and preparing infrastructure for future technologies, including 5G mobile services.

The capital investment, funded by Telecel Group, will provide additional equipment and tower deployment to strengthen service delivery.

She said regulatory support has also contributed to the expansion through additional spectrum allocations approved by the National Communications Authority, with backing from the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation.

Obo-Nai said spending will accelerate further this year as the telco responds to customer traffic growth driven by digital adoption, streaming demand, and broader enterprise connectivity requirements.

“Our network is growing phenomenally, and it gets congested because of the customer data demands. With the evolution of technology, we are now building sites on sites to create capacity.”

Telecel Ghana said its current infrastructure is already configured to support the rollout of 5G, allowing the company to move quickly when deployment conditions permit, sustaining future customer growth as data consumption rises.

Part of the expanded network has also been deployed beyond Telecel’s own subscriber base. Under a regulatory directive issued last year, the company enabled national roaming for AT Ghana customers, allowing them to maintain service continuity through Telecel’s infrastructure while keeping their existing service provider relationship. The migration was completed within a month.

Looking ahead, Obo-Nai said network expansion remains central to Telecel’s strategy as telecom operators increasingly serve as infrastructure platforms for broader economic digitisation.

“The economy is opening up, digitisation and AI are expanding, so we are preparing our network to be an enabler across all industries,” she said.

Customers should expect better connectivity as infrastructure installation continues across the country. There are a lot of tailored products and campaigns ahead, and they will enjoy the benefits of being a Telecel customer.”

Source : thechronicle.com.gh

The company said its deep engagement with industry partners is helping move 6G development from research into practical, deployable networks, with its technology serving as a convergence point for innovation across the telecommunications sector.

Ericsson has positioned itself as a key driver of the emerging 6G ecosystem, working to build what it describes as an AI-native and globally scalable foundation for next-generation mobile networks. The company said its deep engagement with industry partners is helping move 6G development from research into practical, deployable networks, with its technology serving as a convergence point for innovation across the telecommunications sector.

According to Ericsson, progress in the 6G ecosystem will depend heavily on interoperable, end-to-end technologies. The transition is expected to begin with the continued rollout of 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced networks before evolving into what the company describes as an “intelligent fabric” powered by artificial intelligence across all network layers. This includes embedding intelligence directly into radio systems through Ericsson Silicon, as well as integrating AI capabilities across RAN compute, software platforms, transport systems, OSS/BSS, network management and the core network. Together, these AI-driven capabilities are expected to enable autonomous networks, a key step toward the eventual deployment of 6G.

Ericsson said the integration of intelligence across network layers will support the performance and efficiency required for emerging technologies such as generative AI, agentic AI and physical AI applications. The company highlighted that this evolution is already visible through its ecosystem initiatives and demonstrations showcased during Mobile World Congress 2026.

As part of these initiatives, Ericsson is collaborating with several technology partners to accelerate the development of AI-native 6G infrastructure. The company is working with Intel to advance AI-driven radio access networks and packet core solutions spanning compute, connectivity and cloud platforms. It is also contributing architectural guidance to the Linux Foundation’s OCUDU initiative, aimed at developing a portable, open-source CU/DU software stack to support wireless innovation. Additionally, Ericsson is partnering with NVIDIA to develop AI-native open platforms that embed intelligence across the RAN, edge and core networks, strengthening security and trust for emerging physical AI applications.

The company has also joined a strategic industry coalition announced at MWC with Qualcomm to develop a milestone-driven roadmap toward commercial 6G systems expected to begin around 2029.

“We are already on the journey toward an intelligent fabric, and it is happening right now. With clear proof points across the entire network, we are proving that a fully AI-powered network is not a distant capability five years out. By bringing intelligence into every domain today, we are giving the industry the foundation it needs to scale the next generation of AI.”

– Erik Ekudden, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson 

Ericsson also highlighted its role as a key hub for the 6G device ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of interoperability between devices and networks as the industry targets commercial 6G deployment around 2030. At MWC 2026, the company provided pre-standard systems that device manufacturers can use to validate emerging 6G technologies.

Several demonstrations were conducted with industry partners. Ericsson and Qualcomm Technologies validated foundational 6G physical-layer capabilities through laboratory prototypes, including exploration of cmWave spectrum around 6–8 GHz to demonstrate enhanced uplink performance. Ericsson also worked with MediaTek to integrate a 6G testbed radio with a MediaTek user equipment prototype, successfully completing a data call that validated new features designed to reduce latency and support the high data demands of AI-enhanced extended reality applications.

In another demonstration, Ericsson collaborated with Apple to showcase live Multi-RAT Spectrum Sharing between 5G and a simulated 6G system. The demonstration illustrated how 

operators could transition to 6G more smoothly by allowing both technologies to share spectrum resources efficiently.

Ericsson said these collaborations are aimed at preparing communications service providers for the next phase of mobile connectivity. With the first implementable specifications from 3GPP expected around 2029, the company said its ongoing work with partners is helping create the interoperability and technical foundations needed for confident 6G deployment. The company added that the groundwork for this future network architecture is already being established through the rollout of 5G Standalone, 5G Advanced and network APIs, which will form the base of the 6G intelligent fabric.

Source : www.techafricanews.com

The company maintained its medium-term guidance for service revenue growth in the mid-teens range and expects EBITDA margins to remain stable between 40% and 42%, while lowering its capex intensity target to between 7% and 10%.

MTN Rwandacell PLC has announced its audited financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025, reporting strong operational growth and a return to profitability. The company recorded growth across key business segments, with total subscribers rising by 7.4% year-on-year to 8.2 million. Active data subscribers increased by 14.1% to 2.8 million, while MoMo monthly active users grew by 17.3% to 6.2 million, reflecting continued adoption of digital financial services. Service revenue increased by 14.7% to Rwf 295.7 billion, while EBITDA rose by 17.3% to Rwf 106.8 billion. EBITDA margin improved by 1.0 percentage point to 35.8%, and profit after tax recovered to Rwf 10.8 billion compared with a loss of Rwf 5.4 billion in 2024. Capital expenditure excluding leases declined by 8.0% to Rwf 34.0 billion, while total capex dropped by 27.0% to Rwf 47.3 billion.

“2025 was a pivotal year for MTN Rwanda during which we expanded our market share and accelerated commercial momentum, with a strong service revenue growth and a return to profitability. We sustained our disciplined approach to expense efficiencies, which supported our underlying EBITDA margin improvement, return to profit and cash generation. Fintech, enterprise and data remained a key driver of our growth strategy and delivered another pleasing performance, as we continued to deepen financial inclusion in Rwanda. The reintroduction of mobile termination rates (MTRs) in August 2025, following constructive engagement with the regulator, supported our FY 2025 performance and we believe will help to build a more sustainable industry structure over the long-term.”

– Monzer Ali, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Rwandacell PLC 

The company said Rwanda’s economic environment remained supportive during the year. According to the National Bank of Rwanda, real GDP growth for 2025 is estimated at about 7%, driven largely by the services and industry sectors. Inflation averaged around 7%, within the central bank’s target range of 2–8%, while the Rwandan franc depreciated by an average of 8.4% against the US dollar, lower than the 13.6% depreciation recorded in 2024.

Operationally, the telecom operator delivered solid commercial performance in 2025, adding about 563,000 subscribers and expanding its total base to 8.2 million. Active data subscribers grew to 2.8 million, supported by network improvements and migration from 3G to 4G. Mobile money services also continued to expand, with active users rising to 6.2 million. Service revenue growth of 14.7% was supported by strong voice and data performance alongside sustained fintech momentum. EBITDA increased to Rwf 106.8 billion, while profit after tax rebounded sharply to Rwf 10.8 billion, restoring full-year profitability.

Network investments remained a priority, with the phased rollout of 5G services and the addition of 355 new 4G sites during the year. These upgrades increased 4G population coverage by 8 percentage points to 94.8%, improving network capacity and customer experience nationwide.

MTN Rwanda also continued its social investment programmes during the year. Through initiatives such as Level Up Your Biz, the company supported 40 agents with business training and working capital. The Connect Women in Business programme equipped 500 women with financial, legal and digital skills. Under the Y’ello Care 2025 initiative, employees reached more than 1,500 beneficiaries with digital skills training, mobile money e-commerce support and donations of digital equipment, including devices and solar panels for community health workers in low-power areas.

Despite the return to profitability, the company said its board had recommended that no dividend be declared for the year. The decision was taken to strengthen the company’s balance sheet, improve leverage and retain cash for strategic growth investments, including network modernisation, expansion of 4G coverage and the rollout of 5G infrastructure across Rwanda.

Looking ahead, the company expects Rwanda’s economic outlook to remain supportive in 2026, with GDP growth projected at around 7.2%. MTN Rwanda said it will continue focusing on service revenue growth, expanding fintech services, improving customer value and strengthening its network infrastructure. The company maintained its medium-term guidance for service revenue growth in the mid-teens range and expects EBITDA margins to remain stable between 40% and 42%, while lowering its capex intensity target to between 7% and 10%.

“As we transition into our next strategic phase, we are confident that our strengthened execution and continued investment in connectivity, financial inclusion and digital transformation will enable MTN Rwanda to lead in delivering digital solutions for Rwanda’s progress.”

– Monzer Ali, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Rwandacell PLC 

source : www.techafricanews.com

Mobile tower operator Helios Towers is embarking on a new five-year strategy that was unveiled at its Capital Markets Day in November 2025, and includes a new tenancy ratio target and capital allocation policy, among other aspects.

One of the key goals of the IMPACT 2030 plan will be to achieve a group tenancy ratio of over 2.5 occupants per site (2.5x) in 2030. The aim under the previous five-year strategy was to reach a tenancy ratio of 2.2x in 2026, but this was effectively achieved by the end of 2025 when rounding up the actual figure of 2.17, the company said. In East and West Africa, and Central and Southern Africa, Helios reported 2.23x and 2.31x respectively.

UK-based Helios has focused on the Middle East and Africa with the lofty goals of helping drive mobile communications growth and “contributing to social and economic development,” as the towerco says. It is currently present in eight markets in Africa (Congo Brazzaville, DRC, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania) and one in the Middle East (Oman).

Following a period of expansion from 2020 to 2022, when it doubled the number of towers, the towerco has focused more on improving tenancy ratios in order to increase the utilization of towers, and that strategy is set to continue. At the end of 2025, the number of sites was 14,746, up from 14,325 a year previously.

Chief financial officer Manjit Dhillon confirmed that M&A is at the “lower end of our priority rankings at the moment … We’ve really got a very diversified, well-structured portfolio … and we don’t need to go further afield.”

Dhillon noted that there is plenty of growth to be had in the eight markets as mobile network operators continue to densify and expand their mobile networks to meet growing demand. In addition, MNOs will take increasingly more space as they add 4G and eventually 5G network equipment to the sites.

“Africa and Middle East will be the most populous place on the planet by the end of the century. The growth of that market is really phenomenal. I think it’s something like a billion more people will be in that market by 2050. It’s huge. And of that billion it’s forecast there is going to be 800 million new mobile subscribers … when you’ve got that kind of momentum in terms of mobile subscribers, you’ve got to improve the network capacity,” Dhillon said.

Because of its market focus, Helios certainly faces different challenges to towercos in more developed markets where growth is much slower. Compared to towercos in Europe and the US, “we’re probably in the early to mid 2000s,” Dhillon said.

Power to the towers

Owing to the unreliability of energy grids in some of its markets, Helios has also become something of an expert in energy supply and network resilience.

“One of our key products we provide is power,” Dhillon said. “We’re almost a tower- and powerco” that is able to provide back up for 24 hours at a stretch.

“Either the grid doesn’t work 24 hours, or in certain locations, they don’t have a grid at all. So you’ve got to think about that kind of temporary power management solution on a site-specific basis. So that will be solar panels, batteries, diesel generators where required, all supplementing the overall power system. So we are very much focused on that power piece,” he said.

In the meantime, Helios is also looking at digital solutions that it “can utilize internally to make ourselves more efficient, and we’ll look to provide those to the customer, because ultimately, if we can provide a better product to the customer, they’ll roll out more so there’s always that kind of self-fulfilling cycle,” Dhillon said

These solutions include digital twins, with the aim of providing more proactive site management that focuses on preventative maintenance. Although Helios is “still in the earlier stages” here, it ultimately aims to have digital twins of all sites.

Dhillon also noted that “every single site has remote monitoring. These things are pinging hundreds of data points every single day, every single hour. So the quantity of data that we and other companies are all getting is just growing exponentially. You’ve got to make sure that you have a very, very efficient and accurate digital tool that’s going to be able to ingest all of that, because otherwise you’re going to drown in the data.”

In 2025, Helios reported a +0.12x rise in its tenancy ratio from 2.05x in 2024 to 2.17x. The number of tenancies increased by 9% to 31,944. Adjusted EBITDA rose 12% to $471 million. Revenue grew by 7.8% to $854.1 million.

In 2026, the company is expecting adjusted EBITDA of $510 million–$525 million. According to a statement from CEO Tom Greenwood, “we look ahead to a strong year in 2026, which is seeing strong structural demand trends, and guidance demonstrating meaningful progress towards our IMPACT 2030 targets, with continued growth, cash flow generation and shareholder distributions, which have already begun.”

source : www.lightreading.com