Industry News

MTN Mo­bile Money Limited, in partnership with San­lam Allianz and AYo Intermediaries Ghana, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance insurance coverage for its agents across the country.

The Chief Commercial and Mobile Money Officer of MTN Mobile Money Limited, Abdul Razak Ali, speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra on Tuesday, said his outfit was committed to the welfare of its agents, hence the insurance scheme.

He said the company already had insurance scheme for its agents and the current one was to enhance it.

“This partnership with San­lam Allianz provides enhanced insurance coverage for our agents. Since 2020, we have had an insurance policy in place, but after engaging with our agents, we re­ceived valuable feedback on how to improve it,” Mr Ali explained.
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He stated that the policy, among others, covered critical illness, permanent disability, death and the agents or their benefi­ciaries and could claim between GH¢5, 000.00 to GH¢250, 000.00 depending on the risk.

The CEO of AYo Ghana, Francis Gota, said the policy was a game-changer in securing the financial future of mobile money agents.

“Mobile money agents are the backbone of Ghana’s financial ecosystem. They work long hours, often under risky conditions. This policy ensures that if illness, disability, or even death occurs, financial relief is available to ease the burden on them and their families,” he underlined.

The policy offers a safety net for families in the event of an agent’s passing, financial support for permanent or temporary disability, assistance for critical ill­nesses such as stroke, cancer, and coma, and daily hospitalisation benefits to reduce financial strain during medical treatment.

“This is more than just a pol­icy. It is a demonstration of care, a commitment to agent security, and a recognition of the crucial role they play in financial inclu­sion. We want every agent to feel valued and protected,” stated Mr Gota.

He urged agents to take the policy seriously, as it directly im­pacted their financial security and that of their families.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and country lead of San­lam Allianz Life Insurance Ghana Limited, Tawiah Ben-Ahmed, in­dicated that his outfit was excited about the partnership to provide Momo Agents with insurance.

“It’s a lot of excitement and seeing an organisation that really cares about the very people that it works with,” he mentioned.

The insurance scheme, he said, aligned with Sanlam Allianz Life Insurance to honour Ghana’s objective to empower generations to be financially confident, secure and prosperous.

Mr Ben-Ahmed explained that the product was meant to em­power the merchants to go about their work with confidence.

Moreover, he noted that Sanlam Allianz Life Insurance Ghana was ready to pay all claims promptly, adding that, “Measures have been put in place to ensure that the system is not abused.”

“And the beautiful part is that our commitment as an under­writer is to pay the resulting from valid claims submitted promptly. And that is the commitment we bring to the party as far as this insurance scheme is concerned,” Mr Ben-Ahmed stated.

Source: Kingsley Asare (Ghanaian Times)

Telecom operator Vodacom Tanzania will gain access to an additional 10GB of capacity to improve the quality of its voice and internet services across the islands of the Zanzibar archipelago. The company will be able to leverage government-owned fibre optic infrastructure and submarine cables to achieve this.

The company signed an agreement with the Zanzibar Communication Corporation (ZICTIA) last week. “This development is not just about ensuring faster internet speeds, it is aimed at driving digital transformation in Zanzibar. It is designed to empower local businesses, improve e-government services, support e-learning initiatives and much more,” the telecom operator said.

The additional capacity is expected to enable Vodacom Group’s Tanzanian subsidiary to better meet the needs of its existing subscribers in Zanzibar while expanding its customer base, strengthening its position in the domestic market. According to official data, the archipelago had about 1 million mobile phone subscriptions as of December 31, 2024, for an estimated population of 1.89 million.

Zanzibar represents a growth opportunity for Vodacom, especially as the number of unique subscribers is likely to be lower, with some people having multiple SIM cards, each counted as a separate subscription.

As of December 31, 2023, Vodacom had 26.32 million P2P (person-to-person) subscriptions according to data from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). This represents a market share of 31%. The company is closely followed by Yas with a market share of 30%. This is followed by Airtel (23%), Halotel (14%) and incumbent TTCL (2%). Vodacom also controls 54% of M2M (machine-to-machine) subscriptions.

Source: Extensia

Barcelona, Spain, March 6, 2025] During the MWC Barcelona 2025, MTN Group and Huawei reaffirmed their long-term collaboration through a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement outlines a framework to explore opportunities in advanced connectivity solutions, cloud based technologies and digital infrastructure to drive sustainable digital development across Africa.

MTN Group and Huawei Strategic Partnership MoU Signing Ceremony

Mazen Mroué, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer of MTN, said: “At MTN, our focus is on delivering seamless, intelligent, and inclusive digital experiences for our customers across Africa. Through this collaboration with Huawei, we are exploring innovative solutions to enhance network reliability, improve service quality, and expand digital access for underserved communities. By leveraging advanced connectivity and cloud technologies, we aim to empower businesses, enrich customer experiences, and accelerate Africa’s digital future.”

Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President, President of ICT Sales & Service Li Peng emphasized the collaboration’s transformative potential, “Our joint initiatives in 5G-Advanced networks and AI-powered cloud platforms will create a robust foundation for Africa’s digital economy. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to developing localized solutions that bridge both technological and skills gaps across the continent.”

This MoU marks a new phase in MTN and Huawei’s strategic collaboration going forward. Both companies will explore innovative solutions to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation and drive long-term digital economic growth.

MWC Barcelona 2025 is held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.

In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.

Source: Huawei.com

Ghana’s major telecommunications providers—MTN Ghana, Telecel Ghana, and AT Ghana—have introduced a special Independence Day data bundle, offering 6GB for GHS10, a substantial increase from the usual 1GB or 3GB provided during holiday promotions.

The initiative, launched under the directive of President John Mahama, is aimed at enhancing digital accessibility and affordability across the country.

This was announced by Minister for Communication, Digital Technology & Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, in a Facebook post on Thursday, March 6.

According to him, the initiative underscores efforts to advance digital inclusion and position Ghana as a leader in technological accessibility.

“This highlights our commitment as a government to build the enablers for a truly digitalised Ghana that offers the vast opportunity of the interconnected world to Ghanaians right in the comfort of their homes.”

The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations is expected to outline further plans for data pricing, detailing short, medium, and long-term strategies to sustain affordability.

Many mobile users have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a positive step toward making digital services more accessible.

Source: Lucy Mawufemor Kpeglo(GBCGhanaonline)

Mobile network operators make 85 percent of the total investment in mobile internet connectivity infrastructure globally.

They play the ‘keystone’ role in funding the networks that underpin modern digital economies worldwide, according to a new report by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) and global management consulting firm Kearney.

The report was published during the Mobile World Conference (MWC) Barcelona 2025, the world’s largest mobile technology event.

The MWC Barcelona 2025 opened on March 3 and is expected to end on March 6, 2025, on the theme “Converge. Connect. Create.

The report demonstrated that with annual investments in mobile internet infrastructure (excluding end-user devices) reaching $127 billion, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) alone contributed $109 billion.

It said mobile operators made these investments despite deriving less economic benefit than other digital ecosystem players from the critical infrastructure.

The report said, for instance, that the amount contributed by MNOs far exceeded the connectivity investments made by other groups of investors, such as cloud service providers and content and application providers.

It underscored the essential role of mobile networks in building critical infrastructure, which enabled global digital transformation, connecting billions of people to everything from banking and education to entertainment services and supporting the economic growth of industries that depend on robust connectivity.

Mr. John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer of the GSMA, said, “This report makes it clear: mobile network operators are the keystone of the internet economy, funding the vast majority of the infrastructure that enables modern digital life.”

He said while others invested in select parts of the world’s connectivity infrastructure, their contributions were a fraction of what MNOs spend to build and maintain the networks that power everything from online banking to remote work and digital entertainment.

“This study demonstrates clearly that if governments wish to unlock the full potential of their digital economies, they must prioritize policies that create a positive investment environment for MNOs,” he added.

The report comes at a crucial moment when governments worldwide are seeking to expand

digital connectivity and foster economic growth through advanced networks, including 5G and future generations of mobile technology.

The report indicated that mobile networks were indispensable to digital progress; from e-commerce and financial services to smart cities and healthcare, nearly every industry relied on mobile infrastructure.

It said infrastructure investment required the right regulatory environment, where policymakers must ensure that regulation and market conditions encouraged private investment in connectivity infrastructure.

The report said core and access networks demand significantly higher investment than backbone infrastructure, and investment in backbone infrastructure was matched by a parallel and much greater investment in core and access infrastructure, where an investment of between 8 (backbone versus core) and 19 times (backbone versus access) was higher.

It said governments should prioritize pro-investment policies to accelerate network expansion and strengthen digital economies.

Source: GNA