Mascom's market share eases

According to figures released by the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), Mascom’s share of mobile phone subscriptions in the country slid to 43% in the year to March 2022, compared to a five-year peak of 55% in the year to March 2017.

Meanwhile, Orange Botswana has risen from a low of 29% market share in the year to March 2017 to 39% as at March 2022. BTC, the smallest and youngest of the three mobile phone operators, has moved from about 15% over the same period to 18%.

Commenting on the latest trends, BOCRA officials, writing in the 2022 Annual Report, said the increase in competition forces such as prices, new services, promotions, and commensurate consumer demand had played a significant role in the above market share changes.

BOCRA figures also indicate that in terms of mobile money subscriptions, Orange Money has been ceding ground to its rivals in the past five years, moving from 68% market share to the 36%.

Mascom’s MyZaka has risen from 31% market share to 36% over the same period, while BTC’s Smega moved from 0.4 percent to nine percent.

BotswanaPost’s mobile money product kicked off in 2019 with a 0.2 percent market share and by March 2022, had moved to 2.2 percent.