Airtel to inject K26 bn into network upgrading

Airtel Africa Group has unveiled plans to invest around $25 million (about K26 billion) into network upgrading, effectively strengthening the country’s bid to scale up digitalisation.

The group’s chief executive officer Segun Ogunsanya made this commitment during a meeting with President Lazarus Chakwera in Lilongwe on Wednesday.

Airtel Africa Group is the parent company of Airtel Malawi plc, one of the largest mobile network operators.

Ogunsanya said: “I discussed with the money we are planning to spend in the next year. We gonna launch a 5G very soon. We plan to launch it in key cities. President how much

“We do spend a minimum of $20 million to $25 million every year. That’s what we want to spend in the financial year as well.”

As Malawi is implementing its national development blueprint, the Malawi 2063 Vision, it has pinned increased internet penetration among its agenda.

The chief executive officer therefore said he has committed to Chakwera to help his government achieve its goals.

He said: “We just promised the President that we believe in the digital agenda in Malawi 2063.

“We also believe in the Internet penetration target set for 2030 for 20 percent of the country should have access to the Internet by 2030.”

The investment, he said also seeks to expand its network beyond the 80 percent-plus coverage it has achieved this far.

Ogunsanya, however, expressed concern over foreign exchange shortages which he said affect their investments.

“Malawi, like most countries in Africa, are going through some challenges in terms of availability of dollars… We will continue to plan for the investment and hope we will find the foreign exchange to pay for the investment.

“I have got confidence in this country. I have confidence in my team. They are going to find ways to pay for the capital required to spread the network,” he said.

In a response to our questionnaire, Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda said Chakwera was pleased with Airtel’s investment plans.

“The President expressed gratitude that Airtel continues to invest in the country. His Excellency was pleased to learn from the Airtel Africa Group CEO that one of the company’s priority areas was digitalisation which he said was one of his government’s top enablers of achieving the Malawi 2063 Vision,” he said.

The blueprint seeks to transform the nation into an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant industrialised upper-middle-income country by the year 2063. Digitalisation is widely praised as key to smoothening trade and access to public services among other benefits.