Africell Sierra Leone celebrated two significant milestones at The Lead Hotel in Freetown, on Monday, January 13, 2024, marking 25 years of operation across Africa and 20 years of transformative telecommunications services in Sierra Leone. The event, attended by prominent figures including the Chief Minister, Government officials, Africell Executives, partners and loyal customers, highlighted the company’s remarkable journey and its contribution to the country’s digital transformation.
The presence of the Chief Minister underscored the importance of Africell in Sierra Leone’s growth. During his address, he praised Africell’s long-standing commitment to innovation and community empowerment, emphasizing the company’s role in bridging the digital divide in the country. “Africell has been a vital partner in driving progress and fostering economic growth,” he remarked.
The evening also featured a video presentation showcasing Africell’s extensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These initiatives include disaster relief efforts, support for education and youth empowerment through the Africell Impact Foundation. The company’s social contributions further solidified its status as a key player in Sierra Leone’s development.
A key highlight of the event was a raffle draw where 25 lucky winners received exciting prizes, including Star Time decoders, Samsung smartphones, Africell MiFi devices and internet fiber installations. This raffle served as a celebration of Africell’s continued success and as a token of appreciation to its customers.
Africell’s CEO, Shadi Al-Gerjawi, delivered a passionate speech reflecting on the company’s achievements. He highlighted key milestones such as the introduction of mobile and internet technologies, the launch of Afrimoney for financial inclusion and the company’s investment in job creation and community development. “Our journey has always been about more than just telecommunications; it’s about empowering communities and creating opportunities,” he said, stressing that Africell would continue to lead the digital transformation in Sierra Leone.
“When we commenced operations a quarter of a century ago, we set a long-term strategy that we were determined to stick to”, says Ziad Dalloul, Africell’s CEO, President and founder.
“Despite the many economic, political and cultural transformations that have occurred since then, we have accomplished that goal. Our vision for Africell from the beginning was for it to be a trusted mobile provider serving a relatively small selection of carefully chosen markets that we could make a deep commitment to and have a big impact in. This is exactly what we have achieved, and the same philosophy will inform our approach for the next twenty-five years”.
Africell’s 25th anniversary year will be marked by various promotions, projects and events, including:
- public celebration events in key cities and towns in Angola, DRC, The Gambia and Sierra Leone
- an all-new africell.com, to serve as a new hub for Africell content, data, and information
- the release of several ‘Africell Presents’ films, including a feature length documentary about the ‘Lobito Corridor’ and mini documentaries about Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Angola
- miscellaneous community-focused health, sports, education and environment initiatives
- innovative product and service promotions designed to make Africell services more affordable and accessible than ever before.
