Entrepreneur and The Perfume Co Africa(TPC Africa) founder Bathabile Moreki has entered South Africa’s thriving mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market via her new venture, TPC Africa Mobile.
Unveiled at the weekend, TPC Africa Mobile is an MVNO hosted on the MTN network. Customers can access its app on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
The MVNO aims to bring “affordable mobile connectivity packages together with services customers use in everyday life and business”, Moreki told ITWeb ahead of the launch.
She says the motivation to take her business into mobilegrew out of the work built through TPC Africa, adding that for many small businesses, connectivity is part of the infrastructure they use to operate.
“For an independent business owner, a phone is a working tool. It helps them communicate with customers, promote products, manage orders and make payments,” she notes.
“The TPC Africa app is our digital self-service channel. Customers can use it to buy airtime, data, voice, SMS and combination bundles. It also includes MyWallet functions, selected vouchers, supported bill and electricity payments, and tools for managing linked numbers and SIM details.
“We see this as a fintech dimension to the mobile offer, while being clear that wallet and payment features do not make TPC Africa Mobile a bank.
“Our focus is to give customers useful bundles at affordable prices, with options starting from R1.50, including access to cheap available data at the time of purchase. The precise value depends on the bundle and the terms displayed when the customer buys it.”
Moreki explains that the agreement to use MTN’s network means the company does not have to build its own radio infrastructure. This, she says, allows the company to focus investment on the customer offer, the digital platform, as well as reach and providing customer support.
“Further investment will depend on customer uptake, repeat usage, service performance and the cost of acquiring and supporting customers. We want to build from evidence of demand and a model that can work for both customers and participating entrepreneurs.”
Bustling ecosystem
South Africa is leading Africa’s MVNO market, as banking, retail and digital businesses increasingly embed mobile connectivity into their existing customer ecosystems.
This is according to the 2026 Africa MVNO report by Africa Analysis, which notes the country had approximately 4.4 million active MVNO SIMs at the end of 2025, up about 43% during the year. The research firm forecasts this could rise to about 14.4 million by 2030.
Players competing in the local MVNO market include the likes of FNB, Capitec, Standard Bank, Shoprite, Mr Price and Melon Mobile, having established their long-standing brands.
TPC Africa has a business network that spans more than 300 000 independent business owners across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
However, Moreki clarifies that that network is separate from TPC Africa Mobile’s customer base and should not be treated as a subscriber forecast, or as a count of active mobile agents.
Commenting on the competitive MVNO landscape, she states: “We recognise that established operators can respond quickly to changes in the market. We do not believe a new entrant can build a lasting business by reacting to every price adjustment or competing on price alone. We need to give customers a clear reason to consider our service and then deliver consistently on that promise.
“Our offer brings mobile bundles together with wallet functions, selected bill payments, vouchers and rewards in one app. We also intend to use our experience in distribution to create a role for qualifying entrepreneurs, who can earn commissions on airtime and data sales in line with the applicable terms and actual sales.
“For customers, we will need to prove that our offer is affordable, convenient and supported by reliable service. We will judge our progress by whether customers find value in the offer, continue to use it and recommend it to others.”
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In terms of future additional offerings and expansion, she highlights that the initial offer is focused on prepaid services. “Customers switching to TPC Africa Mobile can keep their existing number, subject to the normal number-porting requirements.
“We are building the service around how entrepreneurs use their phones to communicate with customers and run their businesses. eSIM and post-paid services are not part of the initial launch offer.”
She also notes that the initial rollout is limited to South Africa. “TPC Africa’s wider entrepreneur network extends across SADC, but that does not mean the mobile service is currently available throughout the region.
“Our immediate priority is to establish the service in South Africa, understand customer response and demonstrate that the operating model works. We may assess other markets over time, based on local regulatory requirements, network partnerships and the commercial case. We have no additional country launch dates to announce.”
The TPC Africa app is available on both Apple App Store and Google Play.
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