Africell
 | |
| Subsidiary of Africell Holding | |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded |
The Gambia 2001 Sierra Leone 2005 Democratic Republic of the Congo 2012 Uganda 2014 |
| Headquarters |
Banjul, The Gambia Freetown, Sierra Leone Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Kampala, Uganda |
Key people |
- Ziad Dalloul Chairman and CEO - Elias Arwadi COO - Elie Khalife CFO - Younes Chaaban CTO - Ian Paterson Chief Investment Officer - Alieu Badara Mbye CEO (The Gambia) - Shadi Al-Gerjawi CEO (Sierra Leone) - Zein Annous CEO (Uganda) - Milad Khairallah CEO (DRC) |
| Website | www.africell.com |
Established in the year 2002 as an African brand, Africell is currently one of the fastest-growing mobile telecommunications operators in Africa. The company ranks first in the telecommunication sector in Gambia and Sierra Leone. In addition, Africell is gaining considerable market share in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Africell Holding owns 100% of Africell’s operations in Gambia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and 98.99% of Africell Uganda. The total number of active subscribers reached 12 million by the year 2017. All four Africell operations offer voice, 3G and 4G LTE services; 4G is under deployment in DRC.
Gambia
In the Gambia, Africell operates a 2G, 3G and 4G networks. Africell has remained the market leader in The Gambia since 2006 with a territorial coverage of 95% and 1.5 million active subscribers. Africell was able to maintain its position as a market leader since 2006 despite two new market entrants in 2007 and 2009.
In January 2018, Africell launched the 4G/LTE network services covering the Greater Banjul with a plan to cover all of the Gambia providing the fastest speed with 150 Mbit/s download and upload. Africell has been selected as the “Service Provider of the Year” for the last six years and was awarded the rank of “Officer of the National Order” of the Republic of the Gambia for services rendered to The Gambian society.
Sierra Leone
In Sierra Leone, Africell has been the market leader since 2007 with approximately 4.1 million active subscribers by the end of 2017. In Sierra Leone, Africell operates a 2G (900/1800Mhz) and a 3G licenses. The Sierra Leone telecommunication market experienced a consolidation move as Africell acquired tiGO in 2009.
Africell launched the 4G LTE technology in 2018 handling mobile internet and data more efficiently by allowing faster and more reliable mobile connectivity. With that said, Africell Sierra Leone is the number one operator in terms of voice and data revenues.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
The DRC has a population of over 83 million and a penetration rate of 44%, making it one of the few markets that combine such a large population with a low penetration rate. Africell in the DRC started its operations in November 2012 and acquired over 3.5 million active subscribers by the end of the year 2017.
Africell made it possible for everyone to stay connected in the DRC, with that said, the slogan “Le Reseau du Peuple” which stands for “The People’s Network”, arose by the people of DRC as a reaction to the opportunity to communicate and stay connected with one another, which was provided to them by Africell.
The demand for data is rapidly increasing in the DRC, with that said, there is a huge potential for Africell to expand its services in the market due to the country size. In the DRC, Africell currently covers Kinshasa, Bas Congo, and Katanga. In addition, the company plans to expand its services to reach all provinces in the DRC. Africell has rapidly acquired a solid performance in the voice sector and has moved to attain the same performance in the data sector while continuously promising the fastest 3G network in the DRC. Africell DRC currently has a 2G and a 3G license and will be launching the 4G network in the year 2018.
Uganda
Africell launched its commercial operations in Uganda in November 2014, having completed the acquisition of Orange Uganda earlier in the year. In Uganda, Africell serves over 3 million active subscribers offering 2G and 3G services nationwide, in addition to 4G LTE in Kampala. The acquired network in Uganda has over 650 radio sites with a coverage footprint spanning the majority of Uganda.
Africell has a nationwide coverage throughout Uganda with an objective to achieve an aggressive growth in the market while maintaining and expanding a solid market share not only in Kampala but in the rural areas in Uganda as well.
Community
Africell aims to continuously implement beyond a regular Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) program. The core logic behind Africell’s CSR programs is to come up with customized initiatives revolving around local communities, sharing their lives and dealing with issues that are important to the people of Uganda.
As the business has been growing since the year 2000 by listening to our customers, Africell has also aimed to make a difference in their lives. At Africell, it is believed that everyone has the right to communicate, whatever their circumstance may be. Africell is determined with a long-term ambition to help democratize mobile telephony in Africa through continuous innovation.
Below are some of Africell’s initiatives:
− Health programs:
Africell actively promotes health awareness campaigns including breast cancer, proper hygiene measures, and AIDS prevention:
− The Breast Cancer awareness campaign
The Breast Cancer awareness campaign was done in conjunction with the Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation through the organization of an annual marathon. Africell sponsored clinics in rural remote areas promoting universal access to health facilities. The company participated in the effort to fight infant malaria through the regular distribution of mosquito nets and supported the fight against the cholera outbreak in 2012. Africell supported the fight against the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone through the launch of the “one Leone per minute” campaign, whereby Africell contributed one Leone for every minute spoken on the network to a special fund dedicated to providing rice to Ebola-stricken areas. This campaign resulted in 50,000 kg of rice has distributed so far and 50,000 kg to continue every month until the end of the outbreak.
− Youth directed programs:
Africell is intensely active with the youth segment through various sponsorship programs of music and sports events. Africell gives special attention to supporting the under 18 teams in various sports.
Some of Africell’s sports sponsorships include the Women’s National Volleyball team, Football amputees’ team and the National Squash tournament. In addition, Africell contributes to youth music initiatives by helping nurture and launch the careers of many local musical talents of different musical genres.
Africell is very well positioned to promote local singers on both the national and regional levels thanks to its Afriradio FM radio stations. Our objective is to nurture the skills of local talents by providing them with all the support needed; from recording, to new album launch events, and promoting them via our radio stations.
− Special Occasion Programs:
Africell believes in celebrating special occasions with the local population. Whether Christmas, Adha or Ramadan, Africell celebrate these festivities in unique ways appropriate to the ceremony. Africell regularly host annual parades and distribute gifts during such events, with the sole purpose of cultivating care-free moments of enjoyment.
− Empowerment Programs:
Africell launched a National Campaign in The Gambia and Sierra Leone promoting “Everyday Heroes”, emphasizing the ‘Life by Design’ concept wherein everyone can make a better future for themselves and their families.
The campaign featured people from all walks of life, ranging from accomplished artists and entrepreneurs to a manual stone crusher who was pictured working to provide his children with a good education and a brighter future. Everyone can be a hero, and Africell’s heroes are the “Everyday Heroes”. Africell has also launched two campaigns in The Gambia under the “Face of the Africell” umbrella, dedicated to choosing young female role models. The winners received an Africell-funded education scholarship to study overseas. The first program winner studied in Morocco to become a midwife and another studied agriculture in the US.
− African History Awareness and Landmarks Restoration Programs:
The Cotton Tree restoration project in Sierra Leone illustrates the perfect mix between restoring historical awareness as well as the landmark itself. The aim was to highlight a living piece of history with a contemporary design. The Cotton Tree in Freetown is over 300 years old and is extremely large in size, measuring more than 12 meters in diameter and 30 meters in height. The Project restored the local roundabout using native materials, highlighting the majestic dimensions of the tree while framing it in a modern monumental context. An acclaimed architect led the two-year project which was inaugurated on 21 April 2011 by Sierra Leone’s President.
Additional projects included the renovation of the Sierra Leone National Post Office in 2010 and further works in 2013 to maintain the history and architecture