Point on Africa

Working, in a way or another, with at least 15 African mobile operators, I can say the rush for Africa Data and Voice market is really on, if not intensified. Dwelling on the significant Bharti Airtel buyout of Zain Africa operations, the management of MTN of South Africa has of late spent much time in boardrooms coming up with strategies to boost revenue across it's African telecos.

According to ITnewsafrica, MTN denies that any of its planned moves, which include targeting an extra 6m subscribers in Nigeria alone, have anything to do with countering Bharti Aitel's entrace. However, it's clear that Zain Africa with a total subscriber base of 44m is a big threat to MTN which leads with 46m users in total.

Bharti Airtel, as a new entrant will definitely pump funds into it's 15 new operations. At the moment the management of Zain is busy presenting revenue and strategic reports to Bharti officials in a series of meetings. MTN has also done the same kind of positioning, with a multi-billion war chest for Nigeria market alone and plans, among others, to introdue M-Pesa mobile banking in South Africa. You have to, especially if the new rival once attempted to buy you out. MTN would now be Bharti Airtel had the SA government not thrown in protectionism.

The next few months will see major though most likely low publicity re-allignments by Bharti Airtel management in Zain Africa, a factor that many anticipate will take the competiton for subscribers to a new level. It's to be hoped that this can only be good to users.