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Cell C has secured major recognition in South Africa, being named Joint #1 for Mobile Network Reliability, Joint #1 for Video Experience, and Joint #1 for Voice App Experience by global authority Opensignal

For the first time in its history, the operator claimed the leading position for Network Reliability, a milestone that highlights the impact of its network transformation and commitment to dependable connectivity. Alongside this, Cell C also achieved joint leadership in Video Experience and Voice App Experience, confirming its progress in enhancing customer satisfaction across multiple dimensions. The accolades reflect a network that South Africans can rely on – ensuring, as Cell C emphasises, that nothing should stop you.

Building on momentum

This recognition adds to a series of achievements over the past year. In August 2024, Cell C was named South Africa’s outright winner for Video Experience and joint winner for Upload Speed Experience with MTN. By early 2025, it earned “Global Rising Star” status for Most Improved Network Experiences, also achieving Rising Star awards in Video and Upload Speed categories.

Now, with joint #1 status in Reliability, the operator’s strategy and execution are proving successful, with measurable improvements in customer experience.

“Reliability and video aren’t just metrics – they shape how people live today. From streaming and gaming to online learning or running a small business, our customers can now depend on Cell C in the moments that matter most,” remarked Jorge Mendes, CEO of Cell C.

Reliability, video, and voice

Reliability has long been a challenge in South Africa, but Cell C’s achievement signals a turning point. Powered by its national dual MOCN (Multi-Operator Core Network) model, which gives access to over 28,000 towers nationwide, Cell C now provides consistent connections for students, businesses and families alike.

The operator’s strong performance in Video Experience demonstrates its readiness for a video-first world, delivering smooth streaming, clear video calls and reliable virtual meetings. It also ranks joint #1 in Voice App Experience, ensuring calls on platforms like WhatsApp and Teams are clearer and more dependable – vital for work, learning, and staying connected globally.

Cell C continues to invest in voice quality improvements, having already introduced Africa’s first cloud-native VoLTE solution.

“We are proud that independent data validates what our customers are experiencing every day – a network they can count on,” said chief technology officer, Schalk Visser.

“Reliability is the foundation of connectivity. If you can’t stay connected, nothing else matters. We’ve made progress where it mattered most, and we are committed to taking voice and other services to the next level,” Schalk added.

Customer-first approach

The company’s transformation is built on partnerships, targeted investment in VoLTE and video optimisation, and a capex-light model that keeps services affordable. As the home of MVNOs, Cell C delivers reliable digital access to millions of South Africans.

“We know our journey isn’t finished. Voice improvements and further innovations are underway, but this milestone proves that we’re moving in the right direction. We’re humbled by this recognition – and we dedicate it to our customers, who have believed in us. We will keep fighting to make digital connectivity reliable and accessible to every South African.”

The ‘State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2025’, published by the GSMA Mobile Money programme, highlights two major milestones for the mobile money industry in 2024—crossing two billion registered accounts and more than half a billion active monthly users worldwide

This marks a significant acceleration in adoption, as it took the industry 18 years to reach one billion registered accounts and 250 million active users, but only five more years to double that growth.

According to the report, transaction volumes and values saw strong double-digit increases in 2024. An estimated 108 billion transactions, worth over US$1.68 trillion, were processed through mobile money accounts. Compared to 2023, transaction volumes surged by 20%, while values rose by 16%, up from 13% the previous year.

Vivek Badrinath, GSMA director general, commented, “Mobile money has emerged as a powerful driver of financial inclusion and economic growth. Its continued success depends on supportive regulatory environments that promote innovation, accessibility and help unlock the full socio-economic potential. To ensure mobile money remains accessible, affordable, and safe, it is vital for governments and regulators to work with financial service providers to support financial literacy programs, empowering underserved populations and opening new opportunities for financial decision-making.”

Sub-Saharan Africa leads

The report also underlines mobile money’s growing economic impact. By the end of 2023, countries offering mobile money services experienced a collective GDP that was over US$720bn higher than it would have been without them, translating to a 1.7% increase. Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for US$190bn of this, affirming the region’s leading role in mobile money innovation.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most active region for mobile money, with East and West Africa seeing the highest growth in registered accounts and monthly usage. In 2024, East Africa led monthly active account growth, followed by Southeast Asia and West Africa. The East Asia-Pacific region also made significant gains, ranking second in growth of monthly active accounts—driven by favourable regulatory conditions in Cambodia, Fiji, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

According to the GSMA, providers in East Asia and the Pacific are increasingly evolving into full-service financial platforms. “The most successful providers are often those who are actively innovating the breadth of their offerings,” the report noted.

Mobile money services have expanded to include adjacent financial products like credit, savings, and insurance. As of June 2024, 44% of providers offered credit—making it the most common—while about a third offered savings, and 28% provided insurance products.

Despite this momentum, the report flags ongoing adoption challenges, particularly among women. Of the 12 countries surveyed, eight still report a gender gap in mobile money ownership, with minimal improvement since 2023. Barriers such as limited awareness and low digital financial literacy persist—especially for women.

However, women who do own accounts are nearly as likely as men to have used them within the last 30 days. “To address these challenges,” the GSMA explained, “nearly 60% of mobile money providers have launched digital financial literacy initiatives to improve financial skills and drive adoption over time.”

Q-KON, a premier satellite services provider, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rivada Space Networks to bring cutting-edge connectivity solutions to Africa and beyond

This collaboration aims to drive digital transformation and expand network infrastructure across the continent.

Under the agreement, Q-KON will utilise Rivada’s Outernet—a revolutionary Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network—to enhance the reliability and security of specialised data networks, especially in sectors demanding high levels of data protection such as finance and banking. The Outernet’s multi-gigabit, bi-directional capabilities and global reach are expected to significantly boost network performance, supporting digital growth and new business opportunities.

Is Outernet ready?

With the rising importance of data sovereignty and resilience, Africa’s connectivity landscape is evolving. The Outernet promises a distinct advantage by delivering not just high-speed, low-latency service, but also robust cybersecurity infrastructure. Its architecture supports future-ready digital frameworks aligned with stringent data safety and privacy norms, fostering increased trust in digital applications and services.

Rivada’s Outernet differs from existing satellite networks by eliminating the need for data to pass through the public internet or third-party systems. It uses laser-linked satellites with onboard processing and an optical mesh structure that routes data entirely through space—from origin to destination. This unique design delivers ultra-secure, low-latency global connectivity, outperforming traditional terrestrial fibre on long routes.

Dr Dawie de Wet, Group CEO of Q-KON, said, “We are pleased to start working with Rivada to develop specialized LEO solutions for the advanced enterprise, industry and government markets in Africa and to complement our growing Twoobii LEO Smart Satellite Services portfolio. We view the Outernet as an evolution on the LEO architecture roadmap that will follow-on and advance the industry from the classic broadband LEO services currently being deployed in Africa, to unlock bespoke applications and high security service-specific user applications.”

Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks, concluded, “We are delighted to be partnering with Q-KON supporting the development of communications across Africa. Rivada’s Outernet is what data communications has been waiting for – a game-changing constellation which re-defines connectivity in terms of security, latency, capacity, efficiency, and coverage. As a completely new type of LEO constellation, the Outernet can provide Africa with a next-generation digital infrastructure for secure, resilient communications and network expansion.”

AXIAN Telecom, a prominent pan-African operator in telecommunications, mobile financial services, and digital infrastructure, has successfully completed the pricing of its US$600mn Senior Notes due in 2030

The bond deal, finalised on 25 June 2025, drew significant interest from international investors. Initially marketed at around 7.875%, the notes were priced at a 7.250% coupon with a yield of 7.375%. This strong outcome, achieved despite global financial uncertainties, reflects high investor confidence. The offering was nearly three times oversubscribed at its peak, with participation from a broad mix of high-quality institutional investors.

Funds raised through this issuance will be used to refinance AXIAN Telecom’s notes and term loan, in addition to supporting general corporate initiatives. These include expanding the company’s digital infrastructure footprint, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable growth and bridging the digital divide across its operational markets. A key element of the issuance was AXIAN Telecom’s Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure, which outlines planned investments in infrastructure, wider smartphone access, enhanced mobile financial services, and improved digital connectivity throughout Africa.

The successful issuance illustrates investor optimism toward African markets and reinforces AXIAN Telecom’s position as a leader in innovation and connectivity on the continent.

J.P. Morgan, Standard Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank served as joint lead managers for the transaction. Legal support was provided by Latham & Watkins for AXIAN Telecom and White & Case for the initial purchasers.

“This bond issuance is a testament to the strength of our diversified business model and the trust investors place in our long-term vision. It enables us to accelerate our mission of delivering inclusive digital transformation and connectivity across Africa,” commented Hassan Jaber, CEO, AXIAN Telecom.

France-based GeniWatt has enjoyed a string of Africa successes so far in 2025, most recently completing a genset installation at a telecommunications site in Guinea Bissau

The company supplied a P22 generator set, in partnership with Synergy, for telecoms group MTN in the West African country.

The FG Wilson P22 and P33 gensets are “perfectly suited” to telecoms towers, the company noted in a statement, citing soundproof enclosures, safety options, large tanks and telemetry, with full customisation available.

Founded in 2011 by Damien Fétis, president of Secodi, GeniWatt was specially created for the distribution of FG Wilson generators in France, but has extended its footprint deeply into Africa.

West Africa, in particular, has proved fruitful ground so far during 2025.

That includes a string of orders from Cameroon, working together with another local partner, DM Approtech.

Together, the two companies have supplied generators to various groups and associations based in Yaoundé, the nation’s capital.

It includes a 110kVA FG Wilson emergency generator for the Association pour la Promotion de la Femme building, and another emergency generator with its source inverter for the Centre de Formation Sorawell, a separate entity created by the Association pour la Promotion de la Femme.

In addition, the two companies supplied a P22 generator for a new maternity unit financed by the Compassion Sans Frontière association.

Last year, GeniWatt also played a key role in a major dam project in Cameroon, modifying an FG Wilson open P150 for installation at the Nachtigal hydroelectric plant, which sits about 65 kilometres north-east of the capital.

The project included automatic load bank and oil top-up, dual starter with dual battery sets, NFE37-312 GSS2 compliance for safety, a tank with two electric pumps and a manual pump, conducted again alongside DM Approtech, with supervision from EDF to validate the specifications.

Nachtigal is a key strategic project for Cameroon, operated by a consortium that includes energy giant EDF.

The dam’s first turbine is now operational, with full commissioning expected during 2025.

With an expected total capacity of 420 MW, it will eventually cover nearly 30% of Cameroon’s energy needs with clean, available and inexpensive electricity.

Mastercard has launched Account Intelligence Reissuance, an advanced fraud prevention tool designed to streamline the card reissuance process in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) region

This new service uses Mastercard’s proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) and extensive network insights to evaluate the risk associated with compromised cards and provide AI-based guidance on whether they should be monitored or replaced.

Card fraud continues to cost issuers and merchants billions each year. To prevent further unauthorised use, issuers typically assess primary account numbers (PANs) for risk and reissue vulnerable cards. This manual approach is often time-consuming and expensive. Mastercard’s Account Intelligence Reissuance simplifies and automates this process, offering a more efficient solution for tackling both physical and digital card skimming.

“At Mastercard, we have developed a comprehensive portfolio of fraud products that offer valuable and advanced insights and data. We are delighted to expand our proposition with Account Intelligence Reissuance that goes one step further by allowing issuers to aggregate data, measure risk and prioritize the most compromised cards for reissuance. Powered by our world-class AI technology, this highly accurate solution will significantly enhance credit card fraud prevention and customer protection efforts across the industry,” said Selin Bahadirli, executive vice-president, Services, EEMEA, Mastercard.

With the rise of digital transactions and the emergence of new types of fraud, Mastercard has continued to advance its technologies to protect stakeholders at every point in the payment process. Its Decision Intelligence platform currently secures over 159 billion transactions annually, and with generative AI improvements, Mastercard enables issuers to more quickly and accurately analyse account, transaction, merchant, and device data to detect and stop fraud in real time.