Telecommunications

MTN Nigeria Reports N400.7 Billion Profit as Subscribers Rises by 74.1 Million in Nine Months

MTN Nigeria adds 5.7 million subscribers to its total mobile subscribers in the first nine months that ended September 30, 2022.

Published

1 year ago

October 31, 2022

Samed Olukoya

MTN Nigeria continues to grow despite headwinds, adding 5.7 million subscribers to its total mobile subscribers in the first nine months that ended September 30, 2022.

Mobile subscribers grew by 9.7% to 74.1 million year-on-year. Active data users also increased by 14.6% or 3.7 million to 38 million, the telecommunications giant reported in the unaudited financial statement obtained by Investors King.

Similarly, active fintech subscribers rose 68.7% to 11.2 million with MoMo wallets accounting for 1.8 million since the company started MoMo operations a few months ago.

Service revenue increased by 20.6% to N1,452.7 billion, while Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 23.0% to N780.6 billion.

Profit before tax grew by 24.7% to N400.7 billion. MTN Nigeria paid N139.5 billion as income tax for the period and posted a profit after tax (PAT) of N269.0 billion, a 22.1% year-on-year gain.

Earnings per share rose by 22.1% to N13.20 kobo

Commenting on the company’s performance, MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola, said “Our operating environment remained challenging in the first nine months of 2022. The ongoing global macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility continued to drive up energy, food and general inflation, with the annual inflation rate in Nigeria rising to a 17-year high of 20.8% in September 2022. Supply chain uncertainties were exacerbated by the availability of foreign currency needed for capital expenditure.

“These headwinds continue to put severe financial pressure on consumers and businesses.”

“Against this backdrop, we continued to support our communities and sustain investment in the coverage and capacity of our 4G network and the rollout of 5G sites, with a focus on expense efficiencies and disciplined capital allocation. This has underpinned a resilient commercial and financial performance in the period, also enabled by the unwavering support of our customers and stakeholders, as well as the hard work and commitment of our people.”

Speaking on growth, he explained that “We added 5.7 million mobile subscribers in the nine months bringing our base to 74.1 million, notwithstanding an increase in churn in Q3 2022. This was expected following the NCC’s directive to restrict outgoing calls for subscribers whose SIMs are not associated with NINs. As a result, there was a marginal quarter-on-quarter decline in mobile subscribers by approximately 57k.

“Encouragingly, the increase in churn was largely offset by the acceleration in gross connections. We anticipate a moderation in churn in Q4, which should support base growth broadly in line with our expectations for FY 2022.”

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Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Telecommunications

Airtel Africa Announces Interim Dividend Amidst Robust Half-Year Performance

Published

3 weeks ago

November 15, 2023

Investors King

Airtel Africa Plc has declared its intention to pay an interim dividend for the half-year period ending September 2023.

The telecommunication giant, listed on both the NGX and the London Stock Exchange, shared this development in a corporate notice titled ‘Announcement of Interim Dividend Currency Exchange Rates’ filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Tuesday.

Airtel Africa disclosed that the interim dividend, amounting to 2.38 US cents per ordinary share, would be disbursed on December 15, 2023, to qualified shareholders.

Notably, shareholders have the option to receive the dividend in US dollars, GB pounds, or Nigerian naira, based on their preference.

The adopted exchange rates for currency conversion were set at 1 USD = 858.24 Nigerian naira and 1 USD = 0.8190 GB pounds.

Airtel Africa emphasized that these rates were determined by the exchange rates applicable to the US dollar as of Friday.

Despite recording a loss after tax of $13 million, primarily attributed to a foreign exchange loss of $471 million in finance costs, Airtel Africa showcased robust performance in its half-year report.

The company reported a 19.7% growth in revenue currency to $2.62 billion, with double-digit revenue growth across all segments.

Mobile services revenue increased by 18.3%, driven by growth in voice and data revenue, while mobile money revenue saw a significant surge of 30.9%.

The company’s EBITDA also exhibited a commendable increase of 21.2%, reflecting a 70 basis points margin improvement over the prior period.

Airtel Africa remains resilient in the face of inflationary cost pressures and foreign exchange headwinds, showcasing a promising outlook for investors.

Telecommunications

MTN Evaluates Exit from Three African Markets Amid Regional Challenges

Published

3 weeks ago

November 13, 2023

Investors King

African telecommunications giant MTN is reportedly contemplating an “orderly exit” from its operations in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and Liberia, according to a report by Business Insider Africa.

The company, which currently operates in 19 countries across Africa and the Middle East, aims to streamline its portfolio and address challenges in the West and Central Africa (Weca) region.

While the exact reasons for the potential exit remain undisclosed, MTN’s financial reports indicate broader challenges in the Weca segment.

CEO Ralph Mupita highlighted concerns over inflation and currency devaluation in multiple markets.

The company’s 2022 financials revealed a 1.7% decline in EBITDA margin due to pricing pressures, fintech channel subsidies, and macroeconomic hurdles.

Although Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and Liberia contribute only 1.6% to MTN’s total revenue, the move aligns with the company’s strategic focus on optimizing its market presence.

MTN holds a significant market share, approximately 30%, in Guinea-Bissau and Guinea-Conakry, while Lonestar MTN is the second-largest telecom operator in Liberia.

The potential exit reflects MTN’s commitment to adapting its business strategy to navigate the evolving economic landscape and optimize its portfolio for sustained growth.

Telecommunications

Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications Secures N1 Billion for Three Million Technical Talent Program

Published

4 weeks ago

November 8, 2023

Investors King

Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has announced the acquisition of N1 billion in funding for the implementation of the Three Million Technical Talent program.

During a council meeting with directors of the Information Communication and Technology department in all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja, Dr. Tijani emphasized the ministry’s commitment to building Nigeria’s technical talent base, strengthening the nation’s digital economy.

The minister highlighted the critical role of technology in the country’s economic growth and development.

He emphasized that effective collaboration, the creation of an enabling environment, and a workforce of public servants prepared to embrace change are essential to achieving the best results.

Dr. Tijani stated, “The best way to address societal problems is to bring people together to discuss and find solutions. Our meeting must be critical and effective in resolving issues to produce tangible outcomes. This will attract stakeholders and private investors who will provide the necessary resources.”

He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to its mission of training three million individuals, even in the absence of a dedicated budget.

The support of various organizations and companies has made it possible to secure N1 billion for the project, demonstrating the increasing interest and investment in Nigeria’s digital talent and technology initiatives.

Dr. Tijani urged the council to play its part in realizing the administration’s digitization objectives.

He called for the transformation of the civil service to maximize the utilization of limited resources, eliminating outdated practices, such as paper-based documentation, to usher in a new era of efficiency and digital innovation.