After the acquisition of TIGO Rwanda by Bharti Airtel on December 18th, 2017, Airtel Rwanda has announced it has obtained a 12-year license making Airtel and TIGO a unified brand in Rwanda. It was announced during the launch of ‘Mu Kazi Kose’ Campaign which aims at broadening digital inclusion in Rwanda through Airtel products such as Airtel Money, Tera Stori and Vuga Non-Stop among others.
Speaking at the launch, Amit Chawla, Airtel Rwanda Managing Director said that Airtel uses a model which puts forth improvement in network coverage, affordability, digital skills and awareness as well as locally relevant content. “We continuously invest in infrastructure and growth of mobile subscriptions in Rwanda and aim at addressing the problem of limited user capabilities by providing affordable packages to our customers. All that is achievable thanks to the Government of Rwanda favorable regulatory environment.”
As part of its agenda to contribute to the growth of the Rwandan telecom market and drive digital inclusion, Airtel Rwanda will provide a transfer-fee mobile transfer services ‘Airtel Money’ which will not only reinforce Rwanda’s push towards a cashless economy but also promote financial inclusiveness. All voice and data packs and bundles purchased via Airtel money will be free of charge and customers will receive a 30% additional bonus on every bundle.
Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation congratulated Airtel for creating a seamless customer experience for its customers throughout the 8 years it has been operating in Rwanda. “Waiving mobile money transfer charges and making the payment of utilities free is a good step towards driving financial inclusion in the country. Besides allowing Rwandans to stay connected and enjoy the digital products at their disposal, Airtel Rwanda partners with Rwanda National Police (RNP) in the Gerayo Amahoro Campaign and has put in place various other pipeline initiatives to boost digital inclusion.”
Airtel Rwanda prides itself in providing the fastest 3G data experience and has the largest commerce footprint which covers 98% of Rwanda. The new ‘Mu Kazi Kose’ campaign will provide customers with free water bill payments and cashback on electricity bill payments via Airtel Money. It is a complement to Tera Stori bundle which allows Airtel prepaid customers to make on-net and off-net calls at the affordable rate of 150RWF, without having to switch between lines.
Airtel also offers various other products designed to expand the mobile broadband networks in Rwanda such as Jama and International Packs which couple affordability and effectiveness. Its main objective is creating a wide range of mobile-enabled services for education, agriculture, health, finance and utilities and enabling a ripple effect in digital inclusion across the country.
