9mobile - November 2020

9MOBILE

DIGITAL REPORT 2020

Digital transformation in an untapped market IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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Inside 9mobile’s Digital Transformation

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9mobile CEO, Alan Sinfield, talks digital transformation, serving the underserved and creating a cultural shift, all in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic

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igeria is a frontier market with huge reserves of untapped potential. A country of 206mn people, large portions

of its market are underserved, both in terms of Telecommunications, Media & Technology (TMT) and, Banking. The country’s telecom market only 04

has a mobile broadband data penetration rate of around 45%, and more than half of its citizens that are the right age to own a bank account are completely unbanked. “There’s huge growth potential here,” says Alan Sinfield, CEO of 9mobile.

Having accumulated multiple decades worth of experience, both in the banking sector and leading telecoms in frontier markets, Sinfield sees a wealth of opportunities for 9mobile to grow and evolve into a top-tier competitor in the Nigerian mobile industry. We sat down with him to discuss his vision for digitally transforming 9mobile, driving major fibre deployments throughout a geographically and politically diverse country, banking the unbanked, and nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of Nigerian companies in order to build a truly sustainable, valuable, home-grown MNO.

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“ The sheer enthusiasm of the team here, the talent and passion they have for the business made for a nice welcome” — Alan Sinfield, CEO, 9mobile

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Founded in 2008 as Etisalat Nigeria, 9mobile rebranded in 2017 to better reflect both the company’s identity as a wholly-Nigerian owned, Nigerianfocused MNO, and its commitment to delivering innovative, best-in-class services to its customers. Currently, 9mobile is the fourth-largest telecom in Nigeria, a fact which Sinfield fully intends to remedy.

“There’s no reason for us to be in fourth position in this market. We have

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the same foundations from which to work from as the other operators in Nigeria, so when you compare our 13 million customers to the leading telecom players in the country, some of which have between 50 and 70 million, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be in the same space,” he explains. “We have lofty goals, but every intention of achieving them.”

EMBRACING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FROM THE INSIDE OUT Sinfield and 9mobile are in the process of acting on a five-year plan to transform the business into a leading competitor in the Nigerian telecom market. In order

to realise the company’s full potential,

and VR to robotics. A lot of what we’re

Sinfield explains that new technologies

looking at centres around applying the

have a key role to play, both in 9mobile’s

latest technological advancements

internal operations and regarding the

within the operation to streamline and

offerings to its customers.

make it more effective,” he explains.

“We’re in a fast-moving world. There’s

“We’re also paying close attention to the

so much happening right now around

evolution of IoT, and how best to adopt

technological innovation, from AR

that technology internally, as well as

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Alan Sinfield Title: CEO Company: 9mobile Industry: Telecommunications

Location: Nigeria

Alan Sinfield is a hybrid senior executive with experience and expertise in the telecommunications, banking and fintech industries. He has held board and senior leadership roles in several companies, including mobile, fixed line and broadband data operators, and in the fintech and banking sectors across emerging markets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. He served as CEO for four years at Ooredoo (Starlink), a subsidiary of the listed Qatari Telecommunications Group, as well as serving as Chief Information Officer and Chief Customer Services Officer at Orascom Telecom (IraQna), a subsidiary of the listed Egyptian Telecommunications Group.

Furthermore, he has held the role of Chief Executive Officer at Amara Communications Co. (ananda), a 4G LTE mobile broadband operator in Myanmar, from 2018 to 2019, and also held the position of CEO at Cadcomms (qb), a full-service Mobile Operator in Cambodia, from 2010 to 2017. www.9 mo bi l e . com . n g

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SIMPLIFIED INCREASE YOUR NETWORK REACH WITH LESS RESOURCES

CERAGON’S FLEXIBLE WIRELESS HAULING MORE CAPACITY, FASTER WITH LESS RESOURCES www.ceragon.com

“ We have lofty goals, but every intention of achieving them” — Alan Sinfield, CEO, 9mobile

explains. “In some instances, 3G is legacy technology, but when you’re looking at rural communities that have had no access to data so far, the speeds you can get with 3G are mindblowing in comparison.”

ROLLING OUT FIBRE how to use it to help customers’ busi-

While 9mobile already has an opera-

nesses perform better.”

tional network consisting of close to

Externally, Sinfield explains,

6,000km of fibre, Sinfield notes that

9mobile’s technological advance-

the market still remains largely under-

ments need to be rolled out in step

served. In the main, he explains, this is

with the expectations and demands of

due to a long-standing state of affairs

its customers. “It’s about understand-

tied to multiple levels of federal and

ing what the customers want, which

state regulatory control throughout

is high-speed data at very affordable

the diverse political landscape that

prices that works everywhere and

makes up Nigeria.

when they need it,” a challenging

“One of the barriers, historically, to

feat in light of the sheer size and

rolling out fibre in Nigeria is the fact

geographical diversity of the Nigerian

that it’s such a large country made up

market. Understanding the current

of individual states with local govern-

capabilities of the mobile network in

ments, which means you’re dealing with

different parts of Nigeria is essential

multiple levels of government below

to elevating 9mobile’s offerings in

the national level,” he elaborates. “What

a sustainable way.

this means is that some places are

“A lot of what we’re doing is based

charging for rights of way at rates that

on tailoring our technical strategy to

are just plain prohibitive.” The country’s

deliver right-sized coverage for the

minister for communications and digital

communities we’re serving,” Sinfield

economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, www.9 mo bi l e . com . n g

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has been instrumental, Sinfield adds,

the necessary infrastructure itself can

in challenging this status quo. “He’s

be prohibitive. “The cost of deploying

convinced a lot of states that decreas-

fibre is very high,” remarks Sinfield.

ing those up-front payments will lead

As a result, 9mobile has been forging

to better adoption of ICT technology

alliances and partnerships with other

and more revenue in the long-term.”

Nigerian operators, creating a shared

As a result, right of way charges are

fibre network that could soon serve

being dropped across the country,

even the most isolated areas of the

allowing 9mobile, as well as other

region. “It doesn’t make sense for all of

MNOs and fibre companies, to roll out

us to dig the same hole and lay the same

more infrastructure in support of the

fibre. We already have deals in place

Government’s five year broadband plan.

with other operators to swap fibre; we’re

However, even with government tariffs reduced, the expense of installing

building out a huge ecosystem throughout the entire country,” he adds.

M O B I L E B A N K I N G FO R T HE U N BAN K ED Of the 206 million people living in Nigeria, approximately half of that population is of an appropriate age to own a bank account. “Of that population, just over 50% of them are unbanked. That’s 50-millionplus people who don’t have access to banking services,” says Sinfield. Earlier this year, the

to be an online service, but with additional elements of traditional retail banking,” he says, agreeing that the service will be something of a hybrid between a digital-only challenger bank like Revolut or Starling, and a more traditional financial institution.

company became one of the first firms in Nigeria to receive the government’s new payment service bank licenses, as part of the government’s new initiative to increase financial inclusion.

The service itself can work on a host of different devices, from smartphones and tablets down to 2G feature phones. You don’t need to be on a smartphone or download an app to use it; the whole service works with USSD strings,” he says. “It’s more than just mobile money. We’ve got the capability for people to have savings accounts, remittance accounts, and more. It’s a great way for us to both enable our customers and to help the government achieve its financial inclusion goals. It really does open up opportunities as financial inclusion also drives digital inclusion, which will really support growth in Nigeria.”

In response, 9mobile has spun out a dedicated banking business to compete in the country’s burgeoning fintech space. Given his experience in finance, and previous work with mobile money solutions in other frontier markets, Sinfield notes that developing the new offerings has been extremely exciting and is looking forward to the launch of the new 9PSB. “What we’re developing is a standalone bank which is going

“We’re going to have retail banking halls, as well as ATMs.

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Forward together Respond today, adapt tomorrow, and reimagine the future microsoft.com/mea/together

“ Our banking service is a great way for us to both enable our customers and to help the government achieve its financial inclusion goals” — Alan Sinfield, CEO, 9mobile

that process, everyone at 9mobile is an ambassador for the brand. If they don’t live, breathe and represent the brand then the company won’t succeed. The only way we will succeed is through teamwork.”

He adds that, in addition to improving training programs and delving deeper into the company’s core competencies to better understand the strategic changes that need to be made, he’s working to create a rewards-focused culture at 9mobile.

“We want people to understand that,

RECREATING THE 9MOBILE CULTURE

if they want to progress, they’ll have

Every digital transformation, at its

to put in the work, and that if they put

heart, lives or dies by the strength of

in the work, they’re going to progress

a company’s people. 9mobile is no

and be rewarded for helping to grow

exception. Sinfield admits that, prior

the business.”

to his arrival, the company had experienced a few difficult years related to

CULTIVATING AN ECOSYSTEM

investment in infrastructure and other

As a wholly Nigerian-owned busi-

areas. “However, what we do have

ness, ensuring that 9mobile works

internally is a wealth of great human

to nurture and grow the ecosystem

capital, that we will be further develop-

around it in a sustainable way is an

ing through investment in training, and

essential goal for Sinfield and the

career development,” he says. “What

company’s shareholders alike. “We

I’ve been doing since I’ve arrived is let-

have a strong focus on using local

ting people know that we are turning

companies wherever we can to

things around. I’ve made it clear that in

help give them a leg up, by investing www.9 mo bi l e . com . n g

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KE Y P ART N ERSHI P S “ O ur partners are key to ensuring that we achieve our business goals. We want to recognise where we’re strong, where they might be stronger, and make sure we’re leveraging the right alliances to ensure that both businesses mutually benefit” - Alan Sinfield, CEO, 9mobile.

Ceragon Ceragon is one of our main network partners relating to microwave transmissions. They’re instrumental

in making sure our data is hauled back to our network hubs and how we provide broadband connectivity to our customers in areas where we cannot immediately lay fibre. We work very closely with them and intend to continue to do so as we roll out more of our network.

KE Y PART N ERSHI P S Comviva

Huawei

Comviva does a lot with us in the area of value-added services.

They’ve been working with 9mobile for a number of years and have a solid, evolving solution set that they provide to us.

Huawei is one of our core network vendors. They provide great service.

They’re always helping us expand our technical capabilities and we’re continuing to explore new ways for them to be a part of our value chain going forward.

Microsoft Microsoft is a major part of our future plans. They’re a key partner for everything we want to do and, in addition, they have some fantastic goals based around their CSR programs, so we’re working closely with them to ensure we make the most of the products and services they offer so we in turn can offer the best possible service to our customers.

Huawei believe in the market potential of 9mobile and proud to partner with 9mbile to provide network signal coverage and data connection for more and more people in Nigeria. Huawei fully supports 9mobile in fighting against the COVID-19 epidemic through ICT technology. Huawei and 9mobile will together contribute to the development of ICT talents in Nigeria and committed to more cooperation.

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“ Everyone who works for 9mobile is an ambassador for the brand. If they don’t live, breathe and represent the brand then the company won’t succeed” — Alan Sinfield, CEO, 9mobile

and giving them our business,” he says. “As a wholly Nigerian-owned company, our shareholders want to invest in Nigeria and its communities, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We’re going to build a company that is sustainable and delivers real value to all of our stakeholders.”

Going forward, Sinfield says that customers, companies and shareholders can expect big things from 9mobile. He adds that he’s extremely grateful to the company’s loyal

2008

Year founded

2,300 Number of employees

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customers, who have continued to

and SME-size companies, which

support them through past years,

are very underserved right now. We

and that rewarding that loyalty is a

already work with a large number of

top priority for the company. “We

those companies and I want to note

have a lot of new plans and ideas. A

that we’re very grateful for their con-

lot of our customers have stuck with

tinued patronage and support.”

us through thick and thin, and we want to make sure that we reward their loyalty while we continue to invest in our network and services for them,” he says.

“It’s not just at the consumer level though; Nigeria abounds with micro www.9 mo bi l e . com . n g

9MOBILE PLOT 19 ZONE L BANANA ISLAND IKOYI LAGOS LAGOS NG 101233 T +08099440224 www.9mobile.com.ng

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