MTN has a total subscriber base of more than 257 million in 21 markets, including Ghana, where it is the market leader with over 20 million customers and about 60% voice market share and 72% data market share.
Growth through scaling data and digital services is central to its strategy, the Group CEO noted.
The group is overcoming the barriers to greater mobile internet adoption by extending its 3G and 4G coverage, accelerating smartphone adoption, and transforming prices.
In the past three years, well over 100 million more people in MTN’s footprint have been covered by its data network. This brings the group’s network coverage for data services to beyond 480 million people.
However, about 60% of rural populations in Africa still remain unconnected. To benefit from connectivity, they need affordable devices as well as digital literacy to easily access relevant and meaningful content.
It also launched a digital literacy programme in nine markets, helping over three million people improve their understanding of the mobile internet and applications.
Data affordability is also key. In 2018 and 2019, MTN reduced entry-level data rates across its footprint by 60%. In 2019 alone, it cut the effective data price per megabyte by 34%.
“We believe the consumer mobile data market will grow enormously over the next few years,” said Shuter. “The COVID-19 pandemic has served to accelerate the adoption of mobile data, digital services and financial services.
As a result, we have recorded increases of up to 50% in data volumes in some markets, as work and studying from home becomes a reality for many.
“Over time our ambition is to grow our customer base to 300 million and for at least 2/3 to be accessing the power of the internet on an MTN network – so the 100 million achieved today marks the halfway mark in the MTN journey.”
