MTN Group said it had signed up 210.07 million subscribers in 22 countries across Africa and the Middle East at the end of March, posting a 1.1 percent increase in its customer base compared to end-2013. The mobile operator added postpaid customers in its home market South Africa, but the total customer base there was down 3.7 percent in the three months, in part due to disconnection of inactive customers. In its largest market Nigeria, customer numbers were up just 0.8 percent, following a regulatory ban on Sim card sales in March.
ARPU in local currency was down in most markets, with Iran, Syria and Ghana being notable exceptions. MTN said voice revenues remain under pressure, although this was offset somewhat by growth in mobile money and data services. Data revenues increased by 43.3 percent year-on-year and contributed 17 percent of total revenues, while mobile money customers were up 12.0 percent from a year ago to 16.6 million at the end of March. The operator did not report any further details on revenues. It said it remains focused on cost containment, as well as network development and infrastructure sharing.
