Airtel calls for liberalization of telecom industry in Africa

Airtel Malawi has called regulatory bodies within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) for more deregulation to allow more liberalization of the industry.

Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday at a dinner the compnay organised in honour of Communication Regulatory bodies in SADC, Airtel Malawi Deputy Managing Director Maurice Newa said deregulation andless regulatory intervention to allow more liberalization of the industry.

“It is our hope that the Regulatory bodies will continue to be more Independent and objective in the discharging of their duties in order to create a level playing field.

“If this is done , we believe the telecommunications sector will catalyze economic growth while  connecting people to the world – in some cases for the first time ‐ and give people everywhere access to education, healthcare and banking …in short, mobile communications will give people the freedom to achieve their goals in life,” he said.

Newa

He added, “While we appreciate that our countries are still behind developed economies but suffice to say we are taking steps in the right direction. We are optimistic about the future of telecommunication growth in the region.

“At Airtel, We are driven by the vision of meeting the emerging needs of our customers with innovative and relevant solutions – to deliver affordable solutions that give our customers the freedom to do what they choose, and provide them with the tools to meet life’s daily
challenges.”

Currently, mobile penetration in Malawi is at 33 percent.