Afrobility: Africa Tech and Business

#47: Vodacom - How the South African Telco became one of the largest telecommunications companies in Africa

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Overview:  Today we’re going to talk about Vodacom - The South African telecommunications company. We’ll explore the Vodacom story across 5 areas:

  1. South African telecoms sector context
  2. Vodacom's early history
  3. Vodacom's telco & non-telco businesses
  4. Vodacom's operating & financial performance
  5. Overall outlook

    6. This episode was recorded on Mar 13, 2022


    Companies discussed: Vodacom, Vodafone, Safaricom (M-Pesa), Telkom, MTN, Airtel & Glo


    Business concepts discussed: Telecommunications (Telco) strategy, Mobile money, Internet connectivity, International telecommunication expansion, Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO), Cell Towers spinoffs, Rain & Telco regulation


    Conversation highlights:

    • (00:45) - Vodacom context
    • (07:50) - Vodacom early history
    • (20:50) - Vodacom International expansion
    • (38:04) - Vodacom’s telco business
    • (45:44) - Non-telco businesses
    • (55:50) - VodaPay and Safaricom (M-Pesa)
    • (1:10:12) - Vodacom - Financials & customer
    • (1:19:15) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook
    • (1:29:52) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook
    • (1:36:10) - Recommendations and small wins


      • Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

      • Recommendation: The Truman show: I rewatched this, it's marvelous, dystopian and funny. That movie is a work of art.
      • Recommendation: I got a satchel aka man bag aka man purse. I like it, it works because I typically have too much shit to fit in my pockets
      • Small win: Bankole's wedding in Chennai. It was epic
      • Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at [email protected]
      • Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or Food, please contact me for funding at [email protected]


        • Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

        • Recommendation: Good Economics for Hard Times by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo & Cold Outside - Timaya and Buju
        • Small win: I got the new Macbook M1 Pro. Beautiful, sweet machine.
        • Other content: Governance of Telecommunications: Two Decades of Reform in South Africa & Vodacom and DHL in Africa


          • Listeners, Operators & Investors: Email [email protected], we’d love to partner or get your feedback.


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          Afrobility: Africa Tech and BusinessBy Olumide Ogunsanwo and Bankole Makanju
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