Since its inception in 1994, MTN has achieved steady and solid growth resulting in an extended footprint in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East.

While the company’s long-term goal remains value generation for its shareholders, its investment strategy in Africa is aimed at delivering quality communication products and increasing people’s access to telecommunication services.

Spurred by its vision to be the leading provider of telecommunications in emerging markets, through investments in telecoms infrastructure, MTN is committed to linking nations by providing an affordable, accessible and quality service that is a catalyst for economic development.

As a consequence, the company’s investments in Africa are not just about providing telecommunication that works, that enables communications across countries and continents. MTN’s aim is to facilitate change that will have long-term domestic benefits. While the lack of existing infrastructure is often cited as a barrier to investment in Africa, MTN and other telecoms firms have the opportunity to create the infrastructure that drives economic growth and to provide underdeveloped communities with new networks that boast the latest technology.

MTN’s practice of transferring skills and knowledge when it enters a new country stands to empower local communities further. In all countries where it operates, the presence of investors like MTN has improved the local job market and attracted skilled expatriates back to the country.

Apart from the obvious economic development, local infrastructure and facilities are upgraded and the quality of life in the communities is uplifted. Sustainable development is a golden thread that runs through MTN’s investment philosophy.

MTN is staunch supporter of NEPAD

The MTN Group’s success not only bears testimony to the viability of mobile telephony in emerging markets, it testifies to the important private and public partnerships underpinned by the NEPAD framework. The company’s commercial goals resonate with NEPAD’s ICT priorities, amongst which are doubling teledensity and lowering the cost and improving the reliability of telecommunication services.

As Africa’s leading telecommunication company, MTN is contributing towards NEPAD’s objectives through targeted social and infrastructure investments in 16 countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, Swaziland, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Botswana, Congo Brazzaville, Cote dÍvoire, Benin, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea republic, Liberia and Sudan). To date MTN has invested in excess of R30 billion in bringing communications solutions to Africa – via cellular, fixed line, satellite, internet connectivity and mobile application solutions.

To meet these continental telecommunication service delivery requirements, MTN has established relationships with governments and other telecoms industry partners aimed at increasing access to communication tools. Amongst these are the GSM Association’s ‘Affordable 2G’ and ‘3G for All’ initiatives aimed at reducing handset cost barrier to communications access.

Furthermore, MTN has projects and programmes in its various operations that support NEPAD ideals. Notable examples of these are the MTN South Africa Foundation’s School Connectivity Project aimed at bridging the digital and communication divide in schools, to date MTN has invested R86 million to connect 146 under serviced schools in nine of South Africa’s provinces with multi-media laboratories.

The other is MTN@ccess. The project is an out of the box product to provide easy Internet access. With MTN@access entrepreneurs can, with low set-up costs, offer convenient one-stop end-to-end communication services. It is an opportunity for enterprise development that empowers beneficiaries.

Continentally, MTN also supports VillagePhone initiatives in Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria.

Highlights

• In August 2005, MTN Uganda announced the provision of its 2000th VillagePhone operator
• MTN VillagePhone extends telecommunications access to rural villages across Uganda in partnership with microfinance institutions by creating opportunities for individuals living in impoverished rural areas to become VillagePhone Operators"
• VillagePhone Operators take a micro-loan for the equipment for as little as US$230 to be repaid over a period of up to 12 months.