LEADING DIGITAL SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICA’S PROGRESS M

TN’s purpose is to enable the benefits of a modern connected life to everyone. Inspired by Africa’s potential, MTN is committed to bridging the digital divide, and furthering financial inclusion.

Established in South Africa in 1994, the business has grown by investing in sophisticated communication infrastructure, developing new technologies and by harnessing talent.

Ambition 2025

With purposeful core values (leadership, innovation, relationships, integrity, and “can do”) the business has made its intent for the future clear, with strategies in place for 2025 and 2030.

Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress, intends to harness the leading brand’s footprint, connectivity infrastructure and technology platforms.

The strategy to 2025 is anchored in building the largest and most valuable platform business with a clear focus on Africa. This rests on a scale connectivity and infrastructure business – mobile and fixed access networks in the consumer, enterprise and wholesale segments.

MTN is accelerating implementation through partnerships and is focused on four strategic priorities:

Build the largest and most valuable platforms;

Drive industry-leading connectivity operations;

Create shared value;

• Accelerate portfolio transformations; And five vital enablers:

ESG at the core;

• Leading customer experience; Best talent, culture and future skills;

• Value-based capital allocation; Technology platforms second-to-none.

On MTN’s success in 2022 and plans for Ambition 2025, Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita said:

“MTN delivered a solid operating and financial performance in 2022, as we continued to execute on our Ambition 2025 strategy. We are pleased with the business’ continued resilience under challenging global and regional macroeconomic conditions”.

Vital Fintech solutions

With a vision to become Africa’s leading digital platform, MTN aims to unlock economic growth through financial and digital solutions for consumers and businesses of all sizes. As such, it has developed MTN Mobile Money (MoMo). MoMo is a fintech platform which provides both consumers and businesses with a host of innovative digital financial services. It enables users to access payments, e-commerce, insurance, lending and remittance services.

As it develops its service offering, it aims to create a marketplace that supports cashless and digital economies through affordable, inclusive, understandable and comprehensive financial services.

“We are playing a key role in the evolution of mobile financial services to mobile financial platforms by offering in-store payments, remittances, prepaid services, mobile wallets, micro-loans and microinsurance”, says MTN.

In 2022, MoMo saw great uptake, with active Mobile Money (MoMo) users increasing by 21.4% year on year to 69.1 million and volume of transactions up 33.9% YoY to 13.4 billion.

Digital Transformation with Microsoft

Key to MTN’s growth is developing strong partnerships, one of the most recently announced is with Microsoft.

Following the signing of a five-year strategic partnership in September 2022, MTN and Microsoft are in the process of delivering a programme of work that will see the latest technologies deployed for the benefit of MTN’s customers, starting with South Africa and Nigeria.

The core of the programme will focus on migrating BSS and OSS applications to the Microsoft Azure cloud aiming to realise operational benefits and cost efficiencies. MTN and Microsoft will work closely with Accenture who will be providing technology implementation, integration and support services to successfully enable the migration and operations of the targeted environments.

MTN’s core belief is that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. Through its partnership with Microsoft it has embarked on an extensive skills development program in cloud technologies, DevSecOps and data management.

Hundreds of MTN employees in Nigeria and South Africa have already benefited from the Microsoft Enterprise Skills Initiative which provides hands-on technical training and certification in Microsoft Azure technologies. MTN aims to expand the program across multiple countries where MTN operates to maximise the impact of the partnership.

Working together with Microsoft and Accenture, MTN is taking a unique

The Power of Innovation: How 6 Light Media Continues to Succeed in an Ever-Evolving Market

6 Light Media is a pioneering company in Zambia that specialises in providing innovative, solution-based branding, printing and signage products for clients across all industries. 6 light Media has been at the forefront of the market, offering high quality outdoor and indoor large format printing, which was previously limited in scope and quality.

The company was founded over a decade ago by a young team of partners with a history in the advertising industry. Frustrated by the inability to source signage products within the country and having to import products at very high costs, they took the initiative and set out to offer these products and provide Zambian Companies with state-of-the-art technology locally.

Initially, the company installed the first of its kind signage machinery, which included Industrial Laser Cutters, CNC Aluminium channelling machines for 3D letters, CNC routers, Flatbed Printers, Plasma Cutting machinery, and vacuum formers. This allowed Zambian businesses to access top-quality branding and signage solutions at their doorstep, raising industry standards and enhancing the visual landscapes of many companies.

Over time, 6 Light Media has continued to expand its product portfolio with the establishment of a one-stop shop at one of Zambia’s largest shopping malls, Eastpark Mall. The shop specialises in corporate branding, desktop publishing, and commercial digital printing.

To stay ahead in a constantly evolving media landscape, 6 Light Media has continued to invest in new technology, which has enabled the company to be leaders in fabrication, moulding and printing of a vast array of signage and display products. It’s latest acquisition, one of the worlds largest high speed 3D Printing machines has increased production times of the super-sized 3D products they fabricate. From predominantly being a large format printer, the company also offers laser and plasma cutting, cnc routing, various safety signage, and the ability to produce super-sized 3D products. This has enabled companies such as MTN, FNB, KAZANG, ZAMBIAN BREWERIES and ZANACO to showcase their products and services more effectively.

The founding directors of the company have a strong creative and technical background, which ensures that all products are made with a design philosophy brought to life by unmatched technology and superior quality. This philosophy emphasises the need to understand client’s expectations and to create superior products and branding mediums that are effective.

Overall, 6 Light Media is a company that is dedicated to providing innovative branding and signage solutions that help clients stand out in a crowded market. Whether you’re looking for Large Format Printing, Supersized 3D Products, International Quality Signage or Creative Design Services, 6 Light Media is a company that is well equipped to meet your needs.

Contact them today to learn more about their services and how they can help your business stand out.

www.sixlightmedia.com approach to the deployment of workloads to the public cloud, seeking opportunities to improve customer experience. This also aims to enhance organisational agility and cost transformation in a predictable and committed way. This approach has already enabled MTN to complete a proof of concept for the world’s first 5G standalone core network solution deployed in Microsoft’s Azure public cloud.

“Our strategic partnership with Microsoft will enable us to transform the way we deliver products and services to our customers. We will bring the power of cloud computing to life driving development and innovation with speed, flexibility and predictable investments and operations. We remain focused on nurturing the digital skills within MTN and in the societies we operate in and building digital platforms to drive digital transformation across Africa and the Middle East” said Nikos Angelopoulos, MTN Group Chief Information Officer.

“We see this program becoming a global standard in the industry for years to come,” commented Nitesh Singh, Communications, Media and Technology Lead for Accenture Africa.

Doing for Tomorrow, Today

WithESGatitscore,MTNisfocussedon advancingtheattainmentoftheUnited NationsSustainableDevelopmentGoals whichaimstoendpoverty,protectthe planetandensureequalityforallby2030.

MTNaimstosupportthisthroughits corebusinessactivitiesandoursupport togovernments,communitiesand customers.

MTN has four sustainability pillars: www.mtn.com

Doing it Right -MTNarecommitted partnerstostakeholderstocreateand protectvalue.Thebusinesshasbeen recognisedasthemostimproved companyontheRankingDigitalHuman Rights2020CorporateAccountability Index.

Doing for People-MTNiscommittedto drivingdigitalandfinancialinclusionand adiversesociety.Thisincludes39%ofits workforcebeingwomen,withatarget of50%by2030.Ithasalsoachievedan average83%ruralbroadbandcoverage.

Doing for Growth-MTNiscommitted toboostinginclusiveeconomicgrowth onthecontinent. Achievementsfor MTNincludesR115billioncontribution towardssocietywithsixmillionpeople supportedthroughjobcreationandskills development.

And Doing for Planet -MTNare committedtoprotectingtheplanetand achievingnet-zeroemissionsby2040. Thebusinesshasachievedareductionof around16%inGHGemissionsforScope1 and2,withagoalofnet-zeroby2040.

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As the 2023 season of Formula One is due to return on the 5th March, avid fans are eager to see their favourite drivers back in the driving seat. In the meantime, fans are re-living last season in the newest instalment of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, released last week. Finnish casino review site Bonusetu has tracked the growth of Instagram followers of each driver featured in this series to establish who has gained the most fans since its release.

1.Lewis Hamilton – 98,730 followers

Lewis Hamilton may have lost out to the championship win last season, but he has won the popularity contest. Lewis has gained an enormous 98,730 Instagram followers over the past week. Despite coming in sixth place in the driver standings in 2022, Lewis still has a great pull with viewers and fans. Hamilton was frustrated throughout the Drive to Survive episodes as the Mercedes W13 car experienced problems throughout the season. However, this data suggests new fans of Hamilton have flooded in following Drive to Survives release; he will have an extra 98,730 fans rooting for him in the coming 2023 season.

2.Charles

Leclerc – 54,990

Charles Leclerc is the second most popular Formula One driver following the release of the latest Drive to Survive instalment. Charles also came second in the driver standings in 2022. The Ferrari driver gained a massive 54,990 Instagram followers over the past week. Last season started very well for Ferrari and Leclerc with an early lead, however, Red Bull quickly overtook them.

3.Carlos

Sainz – 36,262

Carlos Sainz comes in third place as the most popular driver after gaining an impressive 36,262 Instagram followers over the past week. Sainz saw his first ever pole position at Silverstone last season after Ferrari’s strategy was to leave Leclerc out on the track without pitting to change his tires. While Ferrari’s strategy throughout the season was unpopular, the drivers themselves have both remained popular, according to this data.