Airtel has denied reports that it is planning to exit the Kenyan market. An article on tech website Techweez had speculated that the telco might leave the market after an assessment of its viability by CEO Prasanta Das Sarmato after the National ICT Policy was signed into law.
The policy unveiled last week by ICT cabinet secretary Joe Mucheru will mostly affect Airtel Kenya, which had been exempted since March 2013.
“Equity Participation, a clause in the policy states that only companies with at least 30% substantive Kenyan ownership, either corporate or individual will be licensed to provide ICT services.”
Read: Telcos Now Required To Cede 30 Percent Shareholding To Locals By 2024
Airtel reiterated that it would not be leaving Kenya any time soon.
“We remain committed to delivering quality and value for money products and services to all our customers whilst ensuring effective, uninterrupted communication is achieved across the entire country.”
The company asserted that it was making significant investments and was enhancing its services in Kenya.
Read also: Airtel-Telkom Merger Collapses After Failing To Get Regulatory Approvals
“We are now rolling out approximately 600 new sites to expand our network using the ultra fast 4G technology across the country. In addition, across key cities, we have upgraded our network to be 5G ready. This significant expansion and upgrade will improve coverage as well as customer experience in both urban and rural areas.”
The company announced earlier this month that it was enhancing its services in readiness for 5G.
Currently, Airtel is owned by India’s Bharti Airtel, but will be required to sell at least a 30 percent stake to locals by March 2024.
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