2026 AGENDA

Ewa Campbell, Co-Founder and CMO, MVNO Nation

Chair of Day 1: Andre Wills, Managing Director, Africa Analysis Team

• An update on MVNO activity in specific countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania
• Which MVNOs are active in the African market? What’s specific about their stories? What have they done that worked well? 
• Overview of potential MVNO launches in the next 12 months

• An overview of how Vodacom and Circles have partnered to execute a value-creation-led MVNO enablement strategy
• Reasons behind why MVNOs succeed when they focus on differentiation, experience and personalisation, rather than commodity data
• How bundled services deliver better margins and stickiness, leading to long term loyalty and ARPU growth
• Why should MVNOs embrace GenAI capabilities for more intuitive mobile experiences that feel premium at budget-friendly prices?
• The future strategy of Vodacom and Circles partnership: Commitment to being long-term strategic partners to MVNOs – delivering co-innovation and shared success for sustained growth

• The experience of launching an MVNO in Nigeria – Lessons to share
• Offering affordable, high-quality mobile services tailored to local needs – How have customers reacted to this?
• Examples of driving digital inclusion in Nigeria

• Overview of best practices in go-to-market strategies across Africa, as well as in other developing markets – Lessons to learn from these examples about their customer profile, value proposition, pricing strategy, distribution and more
• B2C v B2B go-to-market strategies: How are they similar and how do they differ in Africa, given that the majority of businesses in Africa are small and owner-operated?
• Setting up African MVNO go-to-market strategies for success: Tips and key considerations 
• How to build differentiation into your MVNO in Africa
• The art of value proposition design and how to make it relevant to African people

Launching an MVNO has never been easier, but sustainable growth remains elusive for many operators. As technology barriers continue to fall, success is increasingly determined by factors beyond the platform itself.

This session explores the four critical pillars that separate high-growth MVNOs from those that struggle to scale: operational excellence, customer retention, ecosystem expansion, and strategic partnerships. Through practical insights and industry examples, learn how leading MVNOs are moving beyond connectivity to build profitable, customer-centric businesses that thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

Key Takeaways:

• • Why technology is now a hygiene factor rather than a differentiator
  • The operational challenges that quietly erode profitability
  • How customer experience and retention drive sustainable growth
  • Why the future of MVNO success lies beyond traditional telecom services
  • The role of strategic partnerships in accelerating scale and reducing complexity

• The importance of mobile money and mobile wallets in Africa – Practical examples that work well for the customer and the MVNO as a company
• How can MVNOs easily integrate and manage value added services to boost customer experience and get to know their customers better?
• How can distribution and fintech partnerships assist MVNOs to boost customer reach and engagement? 
• How can AI and data be used to improve existing value added services? 
• What are the really valuable value-added services with raving reviews from customers in Africa?

• How the YOMO (Youth Mobile) was built to meet the connectivity needs of young South Africans
• Leveraging the MVNO business model to make youth opportunity a reality: The details of providing connectivity at affordable rates or zero rating certain content to increase youth opportunity through access to education, scholarships and jobs
• Overview of the launch phases and subscription uptake by young South Africans
• Lessons learnt about how the MVNO model can be leveraged for developmental purposes in Africa

• An update of eSIM uptake in Africa, with analysis and statistics
• As many Africans have family, friends and business across borders, what’s the value of eSIM in this environment?
• What are MVNOs doing about digital identity and fraud in relevance to eSIMs?
• Are new MVNOs using eSIM as an entry point into the MVNO market?

• The current state of MVNOs in Africa and untapped potential
• What are the regulatory frameworks that deliver results?
• What’s the compelling business case for MNOs to embrace MVNO partnerships?
• A dive into specific markets and discussing what is blocking progress
• What are the actionable steps for regulators, MNOs and MVNOs to drive sustainable scaling in Africa’s markets?

• Exploring the shift from traditional to digital MVNO models
• Unpacking key differentiator products and services
• What are the unique capabilities that Telkom Group brings to enabling MVNO success?

• What does a healthy MNO-MVNO relationship look like?
• Tackling MVNO entry – How to ensure differentiation beyond price
• With Africa’s high demand for new infrastructure, how can MNOs ensure that MVNO prices don’t lead to limited infrastructure investments in Africa?
• What happens if price-based competition goes beyond control?
• What is the role of regulators in ensuring a positive business environment for competition as well as capital investments?
• Which lessons can we learn in balancing MNO-MVNO relationships, competition and capital investment from other regions like Europe?

• What factors are important for MVNO growth after launch?
• B2C cases studies, including how BSS helped banking MVNOs
• B2B case studies – What were the benefits to customers?
• Opportunities in the MVNO market in Africa from our perspective, with learnings from similar markets 

• Which MVNOs globally have been successful in expanding beyond mobile?
• What is doable in African markets with regards to MVNOs and FWA/fixed networks and what that means for partnerships, bundling and go-to-market models
• Where can MVNO expansion beyond mobile create value? Where does it tend to break down in practice?
• How to design around constraints such as infrastructure, ARPU and cost-to-serve
• A practical, experience-based view on how MVNOs and FWA/fixed operators can work together in Africa without overextending beyond what the underlying economics and network realities can support
• How can MVNOs help bridge the digital divide by expanding beyond mobile networks?

(4 X 5-MIN PRESENTATIONS, FOLLOWED BY A PANEL DISCUSSION)

In this hands-on workshop, our moderators will explore how MVNOs and MVNEs can partner together successfully to get the most out of both sides, leading towards better connectivity and services that otherwise wouldn’t be available to African consumers. The workshop will cover and discuss in detail the following aspects of the MVNO and MVNE relationship in the African context:

• Introduce of what MVNOs and MVNEs each bring on board

• What are the specific regional challenges in Africa, and how can this partnership aim to overcome them?

• Overview of innovative business models for MVNOs – Examples of best practices in Africa and similar developing markets

• Developing and communicating the value proposition as an MVNO – How can the MVNE support this?

• Considering the implementation of technologies as an MVNO, and the hard questions you need to ask your MVNE about this

• Key tips for a long-term MVNO and MVNE partnership that makes both companies successful, and benefits the African consumer

The workshop will include a short introductory presentation by the moderator, a short practical exercise for attendees with a scenario, task and stress-test questions, and a final panel with experts, including:

• Clint Pereira, Chief Revenue Officer, FNB Connect
• Segundo Torres, CCO, Veek
• Tony Kaldas, Senior Partnerships Director (Arabia & Africa), Airalo
• Laerte Magalhaes, CEO, iuh!

Workshop leader: Wesley Hellyar, Chief Executive Officer, Moth Innovate

Chair of Day 2: Wesley Hellyar, Chief Executive Officer, Moth Innovate

• Overview of trends, successes and failures of African MVNOs
• How are African MVNOs different? What makes them unique?
• What are the international MVNO trends, and how does Africa compare?
• Unlocking the opportunities for MVNOs in Africa – Where is Africa lagging behind and what is needed to unlock growth?

• Understanding what great leadership is all about
• How a story from the farm translates into your boardroom
• The six barefoot lessons from the farm
• Examples of how you can immediately apply these lessons in your own team and why this matters

• What makes an MVNO fundable in 2026? 
• What are the important considerations for your African MVNO business when planning to approach investors? 
• How to test if your MVNO is investor-ready

• Overview of the B2B MVNO market potential in Africa
• International examples of B2B and IoT MVNOs – What works and what doesn’t
• What’s the potential in the African B2B MVNO market?
• IoT technologies that can make your MVNO stand out from the crowd

• The story of Kastelo Gigs and why it’s not just about accounts, apps or money
• How we go about breaking down barriers and providing tools to build a better future for African consumers
• Examples of valuable services that Kastelo Gigs implemented through a money app that feels personal and effortless
• Our plans for the future and our view of the opportunity for MVNOs in Africa

• What can MVNOs in Africa learn from similar markets and industries about pricing?
• Examples of crafting the pricing strategy portfolio
• How do you test a pricing plan?
• Considering the importance of SAC optimisation, customer value management and lifetime value management as an MVNO

This session will feature short presentations of business plans from aspiring MVNOs in front of judges who have been in the MVNO ecosystem for a long time, including consultants, investors and marketing experts. After a short consultation, the judges will announce a winner, who will receive a special reward from MVNO Nation.

MVNOs presenting include:
Thabang Mohloai, CEO, Touch Mobile
Letsogile Baloi, CIO, Kometsi Telecommunications
Kingsley Muguto, Director, Ezi Mobile

The Judges include:
Christopher Geerdts, Managing Director, BMIT
Andre Wills, Managing Director, Africa Analysis Team
Gary Koeb, CEO, Axiomera Partners
Jignesh Dave, Founder & Managing Director, Next Communications
Andrew McHenry, Co-Chair, Mobile Monday South Africa (MOMO SA)