Tanzania mobile operator Tigo has overtaken Airtel to become the second largest player in the country’s telecoms market.
This is according to statistics from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). The 2015 quarter four results released by TCRA show that Tigo has had the fastest growth rate among other telecoms in the country for the last two years.
Its recent growth has seen it take 28 per cent market share in the East African country, with its subscriber base rising to 11,115,991. Narrowly behind is Airtel, which has 68,486 fewer subscribers. Vodacom leads the pack with 32 per cent market share and 12,714,297 subscribers, a significant fall from its 45 per cent peak in December 2005.
Tigo general manager, Diego Gutierrez said the main drivers of his company’s growth had been affordability, innovation, digital financial initiatives, and the launch of 4G LTE in Tanzania.
The company has also opened over 50 customer care shops in most parts of the country and hopes to meet its target of having 100 shops countrywide by the end of the year. It also has a network of over 50,000 mobile money agents.
