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MTN Uganda along with its parent company have been recognised as the most helpful brands during the pandemic.

The parent company came second after the World Health Organisation (WHO) whose core mandate is to support health causes around the world.

The survey conducted by Brand Africa 100 covered over 80% of the African continent in a bid to determine Africa’s Best brands 2021.

From the survey, MTN stood out for the support rendered during these challenging times.

In this unprecedented time chock-full of uncertainty, MTN did not waiver when it took the decision to immerse all its efforts in assisting governments around Africa to combat the coronavirus.

At group level, MTN worked with host nations to support the Africa COVID Communications and Information Platform and launched the #WearItForMe mask campaign. The month-long campaign which drove a powerful message throughout the group’s subsidiaries sought to encourage people to wear their masks.

Through its subsidiaries, MTN also dedicated support through numerous initiatives and stakeholders through Y’ello hope, the MTN crisis response vehicle.

In a nearly half a billion shillings move, MTN Uganda which stood out in the East African region  supported National Water and Sewerage Corporation to promote the handwashing campaign to mitigate the spread of the virus while Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS)was supported to extend aid to impoverished communities.

 

URCS received Shs.297million for surveillance, screening, psychological support in the high risk areas and border points across the country.

Robert Kwesiga, Secretary General URCS congratulated MTN upon the recognition saying the award was well deserved as the telecom’s support was very pivotal during the pandemic.

“MTN was the the first partner to come in and support the Covid-19 response. When the country went into a lock down, many places were closed apart from markets and border points. MTN came in and supported us to implement and enforce SOPs in Kampala Markets. They donated 297,328,000/= towards the Uganda Red Cross to support disease prevention and control,” Kwesiga said

He also added; “MTN also gave up their media airtime in support of a campaign dubbed “Support RedCross” and this mobilised over Shs21m towards food packages for vulnerable families in Kampala.”

 

MTN also provided Shs.220million to NWSC to provide relief to the masses of people living in water stressed parts in and around Kampala.

According to Engineer Mahmood Lutaaya, the general manager Kampala at NWSC, MTN helped NWSC to install 21 water points in places where people did not have water which is an essential during the pandemic.

“These were the informal settlements or slum areas. We put some in Wakiso, Nansana, and Kyaliwajjala among others. We identified places were people didn’t have water. The public water points came with tanks to ensure sustainability,” he said.

 

Sen Somdev, MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer, received the award on behalf Wim Vanhelleputte, the company’s Chief Executive Officer.

“We would like to thank BrandAfrica for recognizing us and the efforts towards mitigating spread of the virus throughout the pandemic. As MTN, we are of the philosophy that a business is not about accumulating profits rather improving the lives of people we serve. Together with government and other partners, considerable effort has been invested to ensure people do not lose loved ones and livelihoods,” he said adding that MTN is committed to supporting government during this fight against covid-19 while also encouraging adherence to the standards of operations (SoPs).

MTN last year gave unwavering support to Ministry of health, the government mandated body in charge of ensuring public health while mitigating the spread of the virus.

When resources were scanty in the midst of growing need for logistics and movement of members of the COVID-19 Task Force, MTN donated three brand new Nissan Hard Body pick-ups to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Open communication lines

Cognizant of the power of communication in achieving success in social behavioral change, MTN also opened up various communication lines between government and the public in an effort to preach the gospel of washing hands with soap and water.

MTN Uganda allocated media space worth shs316million to the ministry of Health to run the much needed COVID19 communication across different media.

In addition, a fully equipped call center to facilitate receiving and disseminating of educative information on behalf of ministry of health was set up at the MTN Head offices.

Furthermore, the telecom giant zero-rated the Ministry of health website to enable people get timely information without the need for data.

As it had done for ministry of health, MTN zero rated websites belonging to education institutions such as universities and institutions of higher learning such as Makerere University among others to allow students continue learning as well as access quick and constant dissemination of information on medical related concerns.

Reduced mobile money rates

MTN support also stretched out beyond government to the public. During lockdown when movement was limited, exchange of money turned electronic especially through mobile money as people could not move from one place to another freely.

Aware of the pressing economic situation occasioned by the virus, MTN cut mobile money transaction rates to enable people send and receive money at affordable rates.

In the same spirit, the telecom created subsidized internet bundles to allow people continue working from home without feeling the economic pinch.

It is because of such initiatives and more that MTN also scooped the award for the most admired brand from Brand Africa and most valuable and strongest South African brand for the 10th year running from Brand Finance.

MTN Uganda in conjunction with the Project Girls for Girls joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day that falls on the 8th of March every year.

While MTN appreciates women and diversity, project Girls for Girls aims at exposure to female leadership, mentorship, and access to education and training to boost the aspirations of young women and cultivate the capacity to lead.

In line with the International Women’s Day theme, Choose to Challenge, MTN Uganda and Project Girls for Girls hosted a webinar earlier today, under the Topic – Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 World, featuring Ms. Yolanda Cuba the MTN Group Regional Vice President Southern and East Africa as a guest speaker.

The topic of discussion was deliberately focused on Women in Leadership based on the fact that Executive leaders play a significant part in advancing gender equality.

From helping forge an inclusive world where diversity is valued, to creating workplaces where women’s careers can thrive, leaders are responsible for driving positive change.

Based on the day’s topic of discussion Yolanda Cuba, who joined MTN Group shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic shared tips on how women can make the most of the pandemic to their advantage rather than lowering their ambitions.

“It (Covid-19) forced me to upscale my ambition. Many people during a pandemic downscale their ambition. I thought I could do more even in the face of the pandemic,” said Cuba, who unsurprisingly rose to her new position as Vice President for the South and East African MTN Markets on January 1st this year, amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic.

This, however was not a seamless journey for Cuba who had to virtually cultivate all her connections with her colleagues at MTN due to the pandemic that pushed people to remote working. However, with a clear vision and trust in her team to deliver, Cuba has navigated through the pandemic in a new work place and gone ahead to excel at her job.

Cuba urged women to be competent, consistent and courageous if they are to have an equal future to their male counterparts.

“It takes only 10% more effort than everybody else for you to be outstanding.” Says Cuba who was named one of the top 20 power women in Africa by Forbes Magazine.

Besides encouraging them to align their life’s purpose to their career ambition, Cuba also encouraged women to surround themselves with motivated and competent women who will in turn support their vision.

She also urged employers to give women opportunities to take up senior roles as well as women leaders looking out for the young competent females in their workplaces. She also appealed to human resource managers to make a deliberate effort to close the payment parity gap between men and women in order to make the equal future a reality.

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About Project Girls for Girls:

Exposure to female leadership, mentorship, and access to education and training can help boost the aspirations of young women and cultivate the capacity to lead. Our mission is to empower girls to lead and our target is 10,000 mentors, 1,000,000 mentees by the end of 2030.

About MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As at 31st December 2018, MTN Uganda recorded 11.2 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug or follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnug or www.twitter.com/mtnugpro for assistance.

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our 240 million customers in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code “MTN”. We are pursuing our BRIGHT strategy with a major focus on growth in data, fintech and digital businesses.

 

For more information, please contact:

The mediadesk.ug@mtn.com or 077 212 1372 or

Emmy Olaki at emmy.olaki@tbwa-uganda.com or 078 260 5997

Access to the internet has the power to change lives and bridge inequalities and MTN Group reached a significant milestone by recording 100 million active data users on its networks across Africa and the Middle East.

“We believe that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life,” said MTN Group president and CEO Rob Shuter. “We are delighted to have connected 100 million of our customers to the power of the internet as we have increased data coverage and reduced the cost to communicate across our markets.”

MTN has a total base of more than 257 million customers in 21 markets. Growth through scaling data and digital services is central to its strategy. The group is overcoming the barriers to greater mobile internet adoption by extending its 3G and 4G coverage, accelerating smartphone adoption and transforming prices.

In the past three years, well over 100 million more people in MTN’s footprint have been covered by its data network. This brings the group’s network coverage for data services to beyond 480 million people. However, about 60% of rural populations in Africa remain unconnected. To benefit from connectivity, they need affordable devices as well as the digital literacy to easily access relevant and meaningful content.

To support smartphone adoption, in 2019 MTN distributed 675 000 affordable data-enabled handsets across 12 markets. It also launched a digital literacy programme in nine markets, helping over three million people improve their understanding of the mobile internet and applications.

Data affordability is also key. In 2018 and 2019, MTN reduced entry-level data rates across its footprint by 60%. In 2019 alone, it cut the effective data price per megabyte by 34%.

“We believe the consumer mobile data market will grow enormously over the next few years,” said Shuter. “The COVID-19 pandemic has served to accelerate the adoption of mobile data, digital services and financial services. As a result, we have recorded increases of up to 50% in data volumes in some markets, as work and studying from home becomes a reality for many.”

“Over time our ambition is to grow our customer base to 300 million and for at least 2/3 to be accessing the power of the internet on an MTN network – so  the 100 million achieved today marks the halfway mark in the MTN journey.”

MTN Uganda provides telecommunications services under a Second National Operator License for the operation of a telecommunications system issued on 15 April 1998 for a period of twenty years. The License expired on 21 October 2018 but was variously extended to accommodate conclusion of renewal negotiations which have been ongoing for close to 2years.

 

MTN Uganda is now pleased to announce the conclusion of negotiations for the renewal of its Second National Operator license which expired in October 2018.

 

MTN has fulfilled all conditions precedent to the license, including the payment of a total sum of US$100 million as license renewal fee for a period of 12 years commencing 1 July 2020.

 

MTNU and the Commission will conclude the signature of the License Agreement within the coming days

 

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About MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As at 31st December 2018, MTN Uganda recorded 11.2 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug or follow us on

www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnug or www.twitter.com/mtnugpro for assistance.

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our 240 million customers in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code “MTN”. We are pursuing our BRIGHT strategy with a major focus on growth in data, fintech and digital businesses.

For more information, please contact:

The Media Desk | mediadesk.ug@mtn.com

Rhona Arinaitwe on 0772 123067 on +256 (0) 77 212 1372 | Rhona.Arinaitwe@mtn.com

Nompilo Morafo on +27 (0) 83 212 4022 | Nompilo.morafo@mtn.com

www.twitter.com/mtnug |  www.twitter.com/mtnugpro

www.twitter.com/MTNGroup| www.linkedin.com/company/mtn

The mediadesk.ug@mtn.com or 077 212 1372 or

Emmy Olaki at emmy.olaki@tbwa-uganda.com or 078 260 5997