PROUDLY SERVING UGANDA
THE CONTINUUM OF
CONNECTION
Today, Airtel Uganda is the fastest growing and most innovative telecommunications company in Uganda with over 14 million subscribers. We connect with Managing Director and CEO, Soumendra Sahu, to find out more
Writer:
Ed Budds | Project Manager: Connell Privett
The Ugandan ICT industry is undergoing a major transformation in 2025, driven by cutting-edge technologies and shifting consumer needs.
“As more companies get online, our duty to innovate, deliver, and transform lives and businesses has expanded,” introduces Soumendra Sahu, Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Uganda (Airtel).
“The penetration of smartphones is increasing but there is a pressing need to accelerate this in order to reap the benefits of a digital world,” he sets out.
Elsewhere, artificial intelligence (AI) is also making bold moves in the sector, leading to the company launching Africa’s first spam alert
service powered by AI’s latest developments.
Meanwhile, the industry regulatory environment is also evolving fast and supportive of the contributions being made by leading players such as Airtel.
Now hosting a complement of over 300 staff, 90 franchise partners, 2,500 sim-selling outlets, and 97 service centres, the company’s influential operations continue to expand and thrive.
PROUDLY SERVING UGANDA
The company was launched across Uganda in June 2010 and is now the country’s most innovative mobile phone operator, having introduced many firsts in the telecommunications (telecoms) sector.
As such, Airtel has established itself as a leader in the Ugandan digital landscape, evolving from the country’s pioneer mobile network, Celtel Uganda, the first company to offer cellular services across the nation in 1995.
Subsequent acquisitions further strengthened its dominant standing, as both Warid Telecom and Zain were rebranded under the Airtel name in 2010.
Nine years later, Airtel began offering a 100 percent 4G network, ensuring that the company delivers on its commitment to its customers spread across Uganda.
CONNECTION
“On this agile network we deliver innovative, affordable products in data, voice, and Network-as-aService (NaaS),” Sahu acclaims.
NaaS encompasses a subscriptionbased solution for businesses that provides access to scalable, secure, and managed network infrastructure without the need for upfront hardware investment.
This product is designed to help companies of all sizes accelerate their digital transformation, improve security, and scale efficiently, especially for smaller companies accessing cloud infrastructure.
“We have triumphantly broken barriers to digital financial services,
such as increasing access to credit and health insurance, for people and business,” Sahu informs us.
INNOVATION FOR THE NATION
As a mobile operator, Airtel has introduced affordable communication products and services that have transformed the lives of millions of Ugandans and businesses.
“Innovation sets us apart from the competition and with support from our parent company, Airtel Africa, we are always testing out solutions that can aid the delivery of affordable services to our customers and the large society that we are proud to be part of,” Sahu prides.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE INDUSTRY AND HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR CURRENT POSITION?
Soumendra Sahu, Managing Director and CEO: “My career spans more than 25 years of impactful professional and business growth within diverse markets in India. Currently, I am privileged to be leading the transformation of Airtel in Uganda where I have been for a year now.
“My career started in the paints industry with Asian Paints in 1998, where I learnt the art of distribution before joining the telecoms sector where I have been for over 20 years.
“I quickly appreciated the transformative power of utilities and technology in people’s lives and communities. I see each tour of duty as an opportunity to solve people’s problems, deliver shareholder goals, and contribute to the greater good of
“Through my journey, I have developed deep operational expertise and a strategic command of telecoms business dynamics, with a proven track record of driving top-line growth and operational excellence. I also have expertise in revitalising teams with resilience, strategic insight, and a result-driven approach.
“To date, I have successfully led complex business operations across diverse markets, delivering impactful results for leading telecoms giants such as Bharti Airtel, Tata Docomo, and now Airtel.”
“For example, this year we launched the continent’s first spam alert service as part of our commitment to tackling the growing global problem related to spam messaging and other malicious forms of communication,” he expands.
The company is always working on improving its staff and systems, utilising an amazing pool of talented people. In this way, Airtel is also focusing on skills development to ensure that it can continue to innovate and serve customers whilst retaining its top performers.
“This requires world-class systems. Therefore, we are working with our technology partners to ensure that we deliver 100 percent uptime to customers even as we deploy developments at scale.”
ENHANCE AND TRANSFORM
As a community-minded and socially conscious company, Airtel has invested heavily in transformative programmes across Uganda.
“Our business is driven by the purpose of transforming lives, and this is at the heart of every decision we make to ensure responsible development,” Sahu explains.
“CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS ARE EVOLVING FAST, AND THESE CHANGES REQUIRE AN AGILE INDUSTRY WITH FINANCIAL, REGULATORY, AND TECHNICAL MODELS THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THESE SHIFTS”
– SOUMENDRA SAHU, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO, AIRTEL UGANDA
“We aim to enhance digital inclusion, ensuring that more Ugandans and businesses have access to affordable voice, data, and valueadded services to meet their needs and promote growth,” he tells us.
AIRTEL’S VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES
VISION
Connected people are inspired people, and Airtel connects Africans to each other, empowering them to create opportunities, dream big, and live well.
MISSION
The company provides globally admired technologies and services to give Africa an easy and dependable way to connect to the world and provide internet for everyone.
As part of this commitment, the company expanded its partnership with UNICEF by extending the opportunities of internet provision to 174 participating schools and is now reaching over 60,200 learners and 2,610 teachers in the beneficiary institutes to facilitate digital learning.
VALUES
ALIVE – Airtel acts with passion, energy, and a can-do attitude, whilst innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit drive everything.
INCLUSIVE – The company champions diversity and anticipates, adapts, and delivers solutions that enrich the lives of the communities it serves.
RESPECTFUL – Sharing the joy and pain of its customers, Airtel acts with humility and is always open and honest.
“Additionally, Airtel has been instrumental in the development of Uganda’s sporting talent through our investment in grassroots football development such as the Airtel Rising Stars football tournaments.”
Elsewhere, the 12th edition of the Airtel Kabaka Birthday Run was held in April 2025, with over 120,000 runners rallying to support the end of HIV and AIDS by 2030.
CONNECTING A BRIGHT FUTURE
Uganda is on the cusp of digital transformation and Airtel’s priorities are currently centred around supporting this national agenda by building an agile network to serve affordable ICT products, services, and solutions, alongside paying particular attention to underserved populations and regions.
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“AS MORE COMPANIES GET ONLINE, OUR DUTY TO INNOVATE, DELIVER, AND TRANSFORM LIVES AND BUSINESSES HAS EXPANDED”
–
SOUMENDRA SAHU, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO, AIRTEL UGANDA
As such, whilst Uganda’s telecoms industry is undergoing rapid transformation, Airtel must prepare its customers and empower them so that they can harness the sector’s increasing network.
“Customer expectations are evolving fast, and these changes require an agile industry with financial, regulatory, and technical models that are responsive to these shifts,” Sahu highlights.
“The transformative sectors of education, agriculture, and healthcare are experiencing deep disruption, and whilst some of these haven’t come to
the fore yet, we are working to ensure that we support all these changes in Uganda,” he divulges.
For Airtel, the primary objective now is expanding its reach and guaranteeing comprehensive nationwide coverage of its network.
“Our focus is on deepening our portfolio of products, services, and sustainability investments in Uganda. We are heavily investing in the network so that we can deliver a brilliant experience for customers using our platforms.”
Although many significant milestones have already been
achieved since 2019, further efforts are needed to enhance the network’s overall capacity. As part of this expansion, in 2025, the company has already rolled out over 200 new sites.
“Airtel exists to connect businesses and individuals to opportunities. I am privileged to captain the delivery of such connections in Uganda. When we deliver on this purpose, and offer the best experience whilst doing it, I feel most fulfilled,” Sahu finishes proudly.
Tel: 0200 202 000 info@ug.airtel.com www.airtel.co.ug