By the middle of this year, MTN expects to have signed up a total of 200 million subscribers across all its operations after boosting its base 4% in the four months to April, reaching 197.4 million customers.
The group, Africa's largest cellular operator, says it expects to deliver improved organic growth in both revenue and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation this year, and anticipate reaching the milestone of 200 million subscribers by the middle of the year.
Addressing the operator's annual general meeting today, president and CEO Sifiso Dabengwa said that most of MTN's operations saw the trend in subscriber growth continue, while revenue was up 5.6% year-on-year.
MTN Nigeria recorded strong growth in reported revenue for the first four months of 2013 compared with same period in 2012, supported by strong growth in subscriber numbers and use. "The main focus for the Nigerian operation is to improve network quality and capacity to enhance competitiveness and cater for higher usage," said Dabengwa.
MTN has "made good progress on our capital expenditure rollout programme," Dabengwa added.
In South Africa, its performance was impacted by weaker consumer demand and increased competition, although it kept its relative revenue share in the first four months of the year. "MTN South Africa's revenue for the period was largely underpinned by an increased contribution from data and SMS revenue," said Dabengwa.
However, its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation margin dropped marginally in South Africa and cost control remains a key focus, said Dabengwa.
MTN's operations in Iran, Ghana, Sudan and Uganda showed "healthy growth" in both revenue and subscribers for first four months of the year, said Dabengwa. He added that data and SMS revenue continued to expand strongly in most markets, increasing its contribution to total group revenue to about18%
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