NamITech, the secure telecommunications provider within the JSE Securities-listed Nampak group, has unveiled aggressive plans to become the leading supplier of GSM solutions in Africa, including SIM cards for prepaid users and starter packs. The company is also aiming to open additional manufacturing plants within the next 12 months.
This was confirmed by Nikki Kettles, managing director of NamITech`s telecommunications division. Kettles said the company is particularly eying East and West Africa, adding that countries such as Morocco and Egypt are potentially huge markets for providers of GSM solutions.
"There are currently 15 million GSM users in Africa, but this is expected to rise to an estimated 100 million subscribers by 2005. Ninety percent will be in the prepaid market and this is a market we are currently seriously targeting."
Kettles said African countries have different requirements than SA, and this is an aspect which the NamITech "African team" is addressing in order to ensure that any solutions put forward are workable.
"We are currently launching an aggressive drive into Nigeria, which has recently issued licences for three cellular phone service providers. With a population of 101 million, this is a vast market, even though only one in every 1 000 people in Africa has access to a telephone. Indeed, wireless technology, including GSM solutions, could be the gateway for huge business potential for the African continent by overcoming the large infrastructure problems. The explosion of GSM in Africa is almost certainly going to boost the economies of many countries that, until now, have been hamstrung by poor communications abilities."
Kettles said the company intends becoming the dominant player in GSM in Africa, and is aiming to provide the majority of networks with SIM solutions, as well as prepaid value-added services.
"About 80% of fraud on prepaid vouchers happens internally at the service provider. Our vouchers, however, have enhanced security features, including holographic security that precludes tampering or fraudulent replacement of cards.
"Because most of our competitors supply solutions from Europe, we hope to gain the upper hand by setting up manufacturing plants in key areas in Africa to ensure that we can provide a better level of service and delivery to our client base," she said.
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