Our focus is data – Vodafone CEO

What key areas are you going to address during your tenure?
Our main focus at Vodafone is youth. The youth in Sub-Saharan Africa remain the strength of Africa today.
There is a survey that puts the population of youth in Sub-Saharan Africa at 250 million. For us, it is important that that tranche of the population feels accompanied and empowered because they will be the leaders of tomorrow.
Tomorrow, as you know. is data led. As Vodafone in Uganda, we have a ‘digital first’ mindset.

Sector players continue to post mixed results with some hardly making a profit since entry on the Ugandan scene. What are the next growth areas that Vodafone is focusing on for the sector?
Our focus is data; we are not a voice driven company.
If you want a voice network with superfast next generation technology, you think Vodafone.
There is a lot of potential in the Ugandan market though we are still in the analogue stages when it comes to data consumption.
Many people are still using 2G.

Vodafone was previously offering only data services. Why did you adopt voice and SMS in an already saturated market? Has this worked for you in the last two years that you changed your service offering?
We did not adopt voice. People expected that we have a voice offering and we do have a voice offering. Our focus is data and voice comes as a complement. It has worked well for us because we offer data and voice services but our strength is data because it’s the next big thing.

For those who are interested in voice, we have a voice offering for you.
But for those who want to be digitally empowered, superfast worry free internet then we can accommodate you.

The voice segment of the market is making a decline in terms of income. It is also the largest contributor of income for all telecoms. Do you think the era of voice is almost over? Where are the areas of diversification that can generate as much income as voice?
Voice is not dead. It is a service offering of its own and as such will continue to be there.
However, this does not mean that you cannot not do voice calls on a data network.
Today with the ever changing technology, you can make voice calls on a data network and tomorrow we have hi-definition calls on data.
For those interested in digital first, you can still make voice calls on a data network and this is where the future is.
If you want all of that which is data driven then Vodafone is your brand.

How do you plan to increase your subscriber numbers to consolidate on the Vodafone Uganda market share in the telecoms sector?
By offering the best services every day and delighting customers who have put their trust and confidence in their ability to use technology.
We just run a promotion where three young Ugandans have been given the opportunity to learn about the latest in entrepreneurship creativity.
This is our own way of saying we understand your needs and we know you want to be digitally connected.
This promotion was run on a digital level and in less than a week, more than 6,000 people took part in this promotion.

Mobile money has revolutionised digital finance in Uganda and East Africa as a whole. Will Vodafone look to tap into this offering to further increase their services and customer base?
Mobile commerce has come to stay and Africa is leading the way for the world on how mobile technology can bring inclusiveness to the unbanked population.
It will certainly not stay like this because the future is digital. The future is digital.

Away from you being the new Vodafone CEO, my readers would like to know who you are.
I have extensive experience in the newspapers, advertising and public relations.
I have had an experience in this sector as well. I have been in telecoms these past 10 years working in various companies such as Zain. I have extensive experience in Benin, Burkinafaso, Congo and now Uganda.
I am married with two daughters.

John Ndego

Mr John Ndego is the chief executive officer Vodafone Uganda, a company offering 4G-LTE high-speed broadband data services in Entebbe and the greater Kampala area and a nationwide 2G/3G voice service.
Mr Ndego has previously worked as managing director, Airtel Congo Brazzaville and Airtel Burkina Faso; Group commercial director Zain Africa and also held various senior management positions within Nestlé in Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
Mr Ndego holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and has attended “leadership, strategy, and management” programmes at the London Business School, Harvard University and HEC Paris. He is an alumnus of the Leadership programme from INSEAD Singapore.