This Monday, 13 November, Vodacom Mozambique celebrated its 20th anniversary of operation. It was in 2003 that the telecoms operator began its mobile communications activities in Mozambique, from the outset orientated towards the customer, and which would change the paradigm of the telecommunications market in the country, where until then there was only public telephony.
Speaking at the gala that marked the celebration of Vodacom’s 20th anniversary, the President of the Republic, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, praised the role of telephony for its contribution to the development of human capital, thanks to the transformations that have taken place over the 20 years in the field of communications, contributing to leveraging the national economy at different levels. Nyusi praised the efforts of Vodacom for the investment it has been making in expanding the network and in the financial inclusion of Mozambicans, which is why he classified Vodacom as a leading company in the mobile telephony market and associated services in the country.
“The path taken by the company (Vodacom) is impressive and deserves our appreciation. This positioning is the result of investment in network infrastructures to broaden the field of telecommunications and greater access to the mobile network, which has contributed to the deployment of broadband in the country, providing better access to the Internet. We want to take this opportunity to congratulate Vodacom on the launch of 5G communication technology, a technology that promises to revolutionise Internet services and help transform the business fabric,” said Filipe Nyusi, adding: “We very much welcome the launch of the 2 Africa submarine cable, the largest submarine cable system, which promises greater stability and security for the communication network in the face of extreme natural events that cyclically strike our country.”
Nyusi also highlighted Vodacom’s contribution to the financial inclusion of Mozambicans through M-Pesa, recognising that despite the expansion of the retail network in commercial banking, there are still distances to travel to access a financial institution, especially in rural areas, and the mobile wallet has been a viable and easily accessible alternative for carrying out transactions securely and in real time, creating basic conditions for access to an official banking service and becoming a tool to support the government’s objectives regarding the financial inclusion of Mozambicans, in compliance with the regulatory dictates of the monetary authorities.
For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vodacom Mozambique, Lucas Chachine, said that the journey so far has not been entirely a bed of roses, as the company has faced a number of challenges, but there have been several achievements. “I am proud of how this industry as a whole has transformed the lives of Mozambicans in every corner of the country and I am particularly proud of the key role played by Vodacom in this transformation process over the last 20 years. Throughout these two decades of activity, we have faced many challenges, but we are proud because we have created a culture that promotes the development of local talent within the organisation, where several key roles are held by Mozambicans at different levels. To materialise the mission of leveraging the economy, we remain focused on expanding the network to ensure that more people have access to a quality telecommunications network, broadening opportunities for the population.”
Simon Karikari, General Manager of Vodacom Mozambique, shared the company’s trajectory and vision, reaffirming Vodacom’s commitment to continuous technological advancement, as well as excellence in offering services and products to customers. He also referred to the advancement in the vision of digital and financial inclusion for Mozambicans, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Karikari emphasised that like any company, Vodacom needs to be solid from a commercial point of view, but gives importance and primacy to its social investment stance. “Without prejudice to our other social programmes, we created the Faz Crescer programme – the largest social investment initiative, which allows us, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Human Development, to promote an inclusive digital society by offering computer labs and free Internet to public secondary schools. Through this initiative, we have so far equipped a total of 67 schools with computer labs and free internet.”
With 12 million people connected to its network, Vodacom has a leading position, with 51 per cent of mobile phone subscribers, 93 per cent of whom are in the pre-paid segment. As far as Internet services are concerned, it has a 67 per cent share of around 7.1 million subscribers.
In addition to the Head of State, Filipe Nyusi, the gala celebrating Vodacom Mozambique’s 20th anniversary was attended by members of the government at different levels, the diplomatic corps accredited in Maputo, the company’s shareholders, managers, employees and others.
