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AIRTEL M ALAW I

Driving economic growth with innovative product ideas www.africa.airtel.com/malawi

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Airtel family day. Airtel is a well-known and respected contributor when it comes to CSR projects

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FINANCIAL INCLUSION DRIVES

RURAL Coverage Airtel Malawi is more than just an IT and telecoms carrier, but an integral part of Malawi’s infrastructure that is driving countrywide growth via its data services and community integration Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Donovan Smith

ast year, Airtel Malawi reached one of its main objectives to establish its presence as an internet data provider in what Managing Director (MD), Heiko Schlittke says is part of a “strategy involving continuous expansion of its distribution network in order to increase market reach across rural areas”, to the point where the network has now increased its data penetration rate by around 100 percent. “As the general mobile penetration rate in Malawi continues to increase, there is plenty of headroom for growth and our Airtel Money platform will be the driver of this growth as we roll out a variety of financial inclusion services,” the MD says. Given the fluctuating GDP and its affect on disposable income and economic growth, Airtel Malawi continues to face challenges affecting

the entire value chain; however, Schlittke is confident that with the right level of investment and market research, the Company will come out on top with its affordable, accessible products and high quality customer care.

Financial inclusion

After re-establishing the Airtel Money brand to include a whole host of financial inclusion services - with a

concerted focus on wireless payments and an availability of insurance products – the Company has created phone packages that can be used to support individual industry sectors. “This will allow Airtel to significantly grow both its offering and provide a welcome contribution to the country’s GDP. For example, we provide tailormade data packages for the agriculture sector which provides access to

The Airtel Unicef partnership is just one of many community initiatives

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information on the sector online,” says Schlittke. “The goal is to establish ourselves as the number one data and smartphone network in Malawi by offering more flexible bundles, affordable packages, products and services than anyone else; including a partnership with Facebook, Internet.org, which is due to go live in the next few weeks.” This strategic partnership is one of Airtel Malawi’s key growth drivers for 2015, which promises to result in a more vertically integrated business model. “Our products are uniquely tailored to the market in Malawi and Internet.org will enhance our data strategy to reach as many people as possible and satisfy customer needs to the best of our ability. Backed by our expertise on the ground and country knowledge, we can give the unconnected majority the chance to connect with each other and the rest of the world,” Schlittke details. Internet.org provides free access to basic services in Malawi such as health, employment and local information websites without data charges. “By working together, the initiative allows vendors to share tools, resources and best practices to explore solutions that tackle affordability and efficiency. “On top of this, customers can access things such as microinsurance products like life insurance, disability insurance and other financial inclusion services, tailor made for the Malawi market through Airtel Money,” says the Managing Director. “Combined with the support of Internet.org, we believe to be making a big step in the right direction to a deeper and broader penetration of the Malawian market through all customer segments,” Schlittke explains.

NICO HOLDINGS LTD

ICO started its operations in 1971 and provides financial services in general insurance, life insurance, banking, asset management and offers support business in information technology, hospitality industry and real estate. With its head office in Malawi, NICO has presence in major cities in Malawi and Zambia with associates in Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania. NICO was the first company to be listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange in 1996.

Strategically partnered with Internet. org by Facebook

Pupils busy in the Airtel - British Council IT Hub at St Mathews Primary School in Chikwawa

NICO‘s vision is to be the preferred financial services provider while creating value for its stakeholders. NICO’s strategy remains to be a growing business through various acquisitions and partnerships with companies that have the same values and culture. NICO’s recent business partnership with Sanlam, a South African based financial service provider giant, through its subsidiary Sanlam Emerging Markets Proprietary Limited (SEM), in the general and life insurance business, has seen NICO leverage on SEM’s financial muscle and expertise to increase and improve its product offering and customer service.

T +265 1 831 902/980 E cs@nicomw.com

www.nicomw.com

“The Preferred Financial Services Financial Provider” “The Preferred Continuous investment Airtel Malawi’s Director of Regulatory Due to uncertainties in economic Services Provider” Affairs, Wilson Kyumba presenting tablets

to Kamuzu College of Nursing

GENERAL WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM INSURANCE GENERAL

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stability, the main challenge for Airtel Malawi is protecting its profitabilty in

GENERAL INSURANCE GENERAL INSURANCE LIFE LIFE INSURANCE INSURANCE

ASSET ASSET MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT

BANKING BANKING

INFORMATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY NICO NICO Holdings HoldingsLimited. Limited. Chibisa ChibisaHouse, House, 19 Glyn Jones Road, 19 Glyn Jones Road, PO. Box 501, PO. Box 501, Blantyre - Malawi Blantyre - Malawi

Malawi Zambia Mozambique Tanzania Uganda Malawi Zambia Mozambique Tanzania Uganda

“The Preferred Financial Services Financial Provider” “The Preferred Services Provider”

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HUAWEI

uawei has built up corporation with Malawi Airtel since 2009 and help Airtel to provide the best mobile telecommunication service in Malawi. The main proposed telecommunication solutions are UMTS solution, hybrid microwave solution, hybrid site power solution (solar), optical access network solution, datacom solution and metro network solution. Huawei provide 7*24 hours network SLA service, on-site support service, end to end project service, professional warranty service within the product lifecycle. Huawei is a strategy solution partner to Malawi Airtel for the next 5 years. T +86 755 89241622 E media.aff airs@huawei.com

www.huawei.com/en

The opening of an Airtel Express shop in Malawi

the short-term. “Our shareholders and partners know that continuous investment into Malawi is required, but to succeed in a country with high inflation that drives the local costs up, it is critical to find the right balance,” Schlittke says. In order to maintain a leading position, the Company has to keep up with market demand and monitor the latest data trends occurring across the African continent. Schlittke says that even though 3G hasn’t been fully deployed, 4G is the next logical step that needs to quickly follow: “Even if the 3G network hasn’t been fully deployed, due to the rapid uptake of telecommunications services in Africa, we have to be flexible and lay the foundations for the deployment of 4G in order to cater for the future longterm growth of telecoms in Malawi.” As well as investing in its infrastructure, Airtel Malawi provides its team with in-house training in the specific skills required to operate in the country

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Even if the 3G network hasn’t been fully deployed, due to the rapid uptake of telecommunications services in Africa, we have to be flexible and lay the foundations for the deployment of 4G in order to cater for the future long-term growth of telecoms in Malawi

CONSUMER ELECTONIC SERVICES

onsumer Electronic Services (CES) opened its doors in 1996 in the heartland of Blantyre. It is a market leader specialising in the merchandise of branded household electronic consumer goods such as televisions, refrigerators, cookers, digital cameras, computers and relevant accessories. At the inception of mobile phones, CES has been the major distributor of cellular telephones as its core business and an authorised distributor of Microsoft Mobile in this part of Africa. Beginning with Celtel and now Airtel, CES has forged strong and long standing links. CES endeavours to manage its businesses proficiently and discretely through its core values of integrity, technical excellence, dedication to, and ensuring the satisfaction of the unique needs of its diverse clientele.

MER ER EL ELEECCTTRROONNIICC SSEERV RVIICCEESS CCOONNSSUUM

LILONGWE (DAUD COMPLEX) +265 1 756400 / +265 99 9821445 BLANTYRE (KANABAR HOUSE) +265 1 822624 / +265 99 9926333 Email: ces-llw@hotmail.com GATEWAY MALL - OPENING SOON

Electronics for Everyone!

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and understand the telecoms market. “Geographically, Malawi is a small country when compared to those landlocked to it. Therefore, our approach to training staff is to send them to the surrounding, larger African countries to leverage off the wider Airtel Group’s positioning in Africa and take part in knowledge-transfer,” states Schlittke.

Commitment to Malawi

Throughout Africa, Airtel is a wellknown and respected contributor when it comes to corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects: “Given the environment that we operate in, people look to us for worthwhile contributions via community initiatives. “From my perspective in Malawi, CSR is an extremely important part of our strategy and positioning and I feel it is important to contribute to the social welfare of our citizens through the capabilities we have on the African continent,” emphasises the Managing Director.

Contributing to the social welfare of Malawi’s citizens

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From my perspective in Malawi, CSR is an extremely important part of our strategy and positioning and I feel it is important to contribute to the social welfare of our citizens through the capabilities we have on the African continent

Local blood donation

Airtel is one of the most prominent players in CSR in Malawi, boasting 70 projects in the past year, spanning healthcare access, HIV prevention and education access in particular. “We strive to make sure that people of all ages are prepared for life and have access to education and thus, improving literacy of all ages. In short, we want to make sure that everyone is better prepared for the economic challenges in Malawi, and CSR is at the heart of our approach that demonstrates this commitment,” he adds. Complementing this with the continual investment in its own service offering will transform Airtel Malawi into more than just an IT and telecoms carrier; but an integral part of the country’s infrastructure and a driving economic force. Schlittke concludes: “This will be the challenge in the next 24 months; to ditch the economic downturn and emerge as the most efficient, reliable and largest network in Malawi. We believe this can be achieved via the ongoing enhancement of Airtel Money and data services, allowing us to become the undisputed market leader for financial inclusion products, and we look forward to seeing our customer base increase substantially as a result. “These strategic objectives will be the focus for 2015 and guide us into 2016.”

QoS.networks, founded in 2011 by Marcel Lucas Mahoukou, offers telecommunication and radio network access services across Africa. With Lucas`s years of experience as a Network Director, our philosophy is to provide the highest standards of professionalism and high quality, in order to achieve the maximum benefit.

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www.qosnetworksmw.com info@qosnetworksmw.com +265 992 989 985

Airtel Malawi family day

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AIRTEL MALAWI Airtel Complex, City Centre Off Convention Drive, Behind Bisnowaty Lilongwe, Malawi T: +265 1774 800 F: +265 1 774 802 E: info.africa@airtel.com