Preliminary comments by Vodafone CEO

Media Roundtable Event

June 26, 2018
10am
Alisa Hotel
Introduction
Let me take this opportunity to welcome you all to this event. I am happy that we are able to have this
session today. At Vodafone, we are persuaded that it is very important to interact with our key
stakeholders regularly, understand their expectations of us and find collaborative ways to remain relevant
to them. A lot has happened on the telecommunications landscape over the past year; issues regarding
regulation, competition, market structure, strategy and customer expectations.

Vodafone has also seen a lot of changes and progress in the past year – key amongst them is the
repositioning of our brand to reflect the dynamic changes in technology. Our new strapline – The Future
is Exciting. Ready? - seeks to assure our customers that we will never renege on being their guide into
the uncertain future of technology. We will ensure that their future will always be filled with optimism and
confidence every step of the way.

New trends around Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, IOT are platforms that are slowly turning the
world on its head and disrupting the status quo. Vodafone is your right partner to help customers navigate
these paths. We commit to our customers, and to all Ghanaians, to shine some light on the uncertainties
associated with the future of technology in such a way that we all feel comfortable exploiting its immense
advantages and excitement.

Win data, challenge voice

As an endorsement of our commitment to becoming the network of choice for our customers and key
stakeholders, the NCA's latest Quality of Service report saw us scoring the highest marks in voice quality
parameters relatively to other operators. Our data speed was also amongst the leading in the competition
– and aligns with our quest to win in data and challenge the voice market as part of our key strategy.
As recent as January this year, we were ranked the overall best mobile network in Ghana by an
independent global consulting firm – P3 Communications. We were adjudged the best in voice and
second best in data in a comprehensive analysis of Ghana’s mobile telecoms industry for the 2017/18
financial year. The survey measured several parameters including call set-up, speech quality and drop
rates, as well as downloads and uploads speed. In all these, Vodafone posted strong performances.

Innovative and agile

We have also transitioned into a digital telco through our operations. We are on course to transform into
a fully agile business; where our employees and customers will have the convenience and ease when
dealing with us. Our strategy is to continue leading the digitalisation agenda in Ghana. Our transformative
purpose is to be at the forefront of this revolution in Ghana – ensuring that we are leaving no one behind
whilst driving financial inclusion. Our innovative products are fast becoming the best foot forward in the
industry – PayDay, Yen di Agoro and MOVE - are three distinct campaigns that are changing the
landscape. We have even transformed our internal recruitment processes; adopting a self-administered
video screening session to take care of the first phase of employment interviews.

Nationally loved and trusted and our SEI study

Our brand is consistently rated the most valuable and most loved in the industry. Our company is always
the lead when it comes to Net Promoter Scores in the market - a measure of the ability of a customer to
recommend your brand to others. Our community interventions cover a range of initiatives under Health
and Education. Under health, our advances in access to quality to health services through programmes
like Homecoming, Healthline TV and HealthFest are bringing tremendous benefits to Ghanaians. Our
digital education platform Instant Schools, coupled with our female empowerment programme -
Vodafone Scholars – are changing the face of education in Ghana.

Today, we also take the opportunity to unveil a socio-economic impact report on our operations as a
company. This report is the first ever undertaken by a telecommunications company in Ghana and will
definitely reignite the debate about the social usefulness of telecommunication companies in Ghana. It
will also show the value we are delivering to Ghanaians, which is not easily noticed, but which we believe
generates love and builds trust for us. It is satisfying that we have been able to conduct what appears a
very bold and decisive exercise. The highlights will be outlined as the event progresses but I think it is
significant to make the point that the role of the telecom sector in Ghana’s overall development should
not be downplayed. Our importance in enhancing communications, technological advancement and our
community interventions are integral to the drive to attaining a higher middle income status by the
country.

Changes in Telecoms market

We have begun to see a gradual balancing of the telecoms market as I speak, following the merger
between Airtel and Tigo. Currently, it is fair to say that we have three key telecom companies servicing
about 27million people – which is ideal in a developing world such as ours. Issues around fragmentation
in the sector is slowly easing and we are confident it will also become more defined in the BWAs space
as well.

Again, we continue to see rising consumer demand – which is very impressive – and the appetite for data
is really high. We are happy as a company because it means we have the power to continue setting the
pace in the quality of data we provide. It is a strength we have and we have to play according to it.

Mobile Money Interoperability is an impressive demonstration of the willingness of the market to enter
the next phase of the mobile money evolution. Launched about a month ago, we have now reached about
100,000 transactions. This shows the appetite and maturity of Ghana’s market. What Interoperability
seeks to do is to compete against cash and present a game changer in the already thriving mobile money
industry. The timing is right to move mobile money to the next level. In Ghana alone, the numbers are
staggering. The total value of mobile money transactions by users of the service at the end of September
last year reached GHS109 billion cedis, representing a 112 per cent growth over the GHS51.4 billion
cedis recorded from January to September in 2016.
The benefits are enormous and directly align with the grand design by Government to promote a cash-lite
society, support Financial Inclusion, enhance access to connected savings whilst increasing competition
in the telecoms space.

Our Expectations
The power of the media to transform lives in Ghana is unquestionable and in a vibrant country such as
this, your position of authority is undoubtedly significant. You are the platform through which our
deliverables and offerings receive external coverage. Our thought leadership agenda as a company will
not see the light of day without your role and influence. We expect this relationship to assume greater
proportions of growth and relevance as we move forward.
The telecommunications landscape continues to experience dynamism – internet of things,
virtualisation, new spectrum streams, changing trends in consumer spending and habits and the like. As
a company, these are exciting times for us. We owe it to our customers and key stakeholders to lead the
agenda and ensure that the country continues to make great strides in the area of economic growth.

Key take aways

1. For the past ten years of operating in Ghana, Vodafone has been a significant contributor to Ghana's
socio-economic growth through diverse interventions. These include:
 Products and services
 Quality healthcare – Healthline TV, HealthFest,
 Education
 Financial Inclusion & Women Empowerment – REVIVE programme with CARE; Mobile financial
services
 Investments in network quality for customers - close to US$1.5billion.

2. Vodafone is a credible competitor in the market, giving the customer unmatched experience, agility
and dynamism whilst entrenching our position as the second largest in terms of market share.

3. Vodafone’s commitment to Ghana has never been in doubt. We want to continue being an integral
part of the country’s development. Our Tenth Anniversary celebration begins next month and we are
determined to ensure we maximise the opportunity to show we are here for the long term.

Thank you!