Africell, a leading telecommunications provider in Sierra Leone, hosted its annual management retreat at the picturesque Tokeh Resort from January 11-12, 2025. The event provided an essential platform for the company’s top executives and stakeholders to reflect on the previous year’s accomplishments and set strategic goals for the upcoming year, with a strong focus on development and community engagement.
The retreat featured a compelling address from Ziad Dalloul, the Chairman Africell Group, who traced the company’s remarkable journey in Sierra Leone’s competitive telecommunications landscape. Dalloul emphasized Africell’s resilience in overcoming significant challenges, ultimately establishing the company as the nation’s leading telecom provider.
Reflecting on Africell’s entry into the Sierra Leonean market, Dalloul recounted the dominance of Celtel, which held a near-monopoly and imposed high interconnection fees on competitors. “Many viewed the market as a lost cause due to Celtel’s stronghold, but we saw opportunities where others saw only barriers,” he remarked. Through perseverance and a commitment to community welfare, Africell successfully shifted market dynamics, reducing prices and fostering healthy competition.
Dalloul pinpointed the high interconnection fees as one of the company’s greatest challenges, stating that Africell had to appeal to government regulators to create a more equitable playing field. Although the initial response was tepid, the company’s growing market share prompted regulatory changes that ultimately benefited consumers by lowering telecom costs.
“Our presence in Sierra Leone has not only transformed the telecom sector but also enhanced consumer experiences through improved competition and lower costs,” Dalloul affirmed, highlighting Africell’s ongoing mission to positively impact the communities it serves while maintaining a respectful distance from government influence.
The retreat also featured remarks from Shadi Al-Gerjawi, Africell’s CEO, who expressed enthusiasm for the milestones the company aims to achieve in 2025. This year marks Africell’s 20th anniversary in Sierra Leone and 25 years of operations across Africa. “Our theme for 2025 will revolve around giving back to our subscribers,” he announced. “Throughout the year, we will implement various rewards for our subscribers, each month featuring a different theme to show our gratitude for their support over the past two decades.”
Al-Gerjawi also acknowledged the challenges faced in 2024, describing it as a tough year, but praised Africell’s resilience and commitment to high service standards. “We ensured our customers did not experience any service shortfalls during our network modernization. The upgrades were executed seamlessly, resulting in improved speed and capacity,” he noted, commending the efforts of the technical team.
As Africell approaches its 25th year of service in Africa, the company remains dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable telecommunications services. With a promising year ahead, Africell is poised to maintain its market leadership while delivering exceptional value to its customers and continuing its commitment to the Sierra Leonean community.