First 100 days of Yas: Celebrating innovation, honours and quality services for Tanzanians

On November 6th, 2024, Yas (for­merly Tigo), the country’s largest telco, capped a historic business rebranding.

Having started its telecommuni­cation services three decades ago as Mobitel, then rebranded to Tigo, the company now has switched to Yas, a decorated brand name currently used across five African countries where it operates.

For the comprehensive rebrand­ing, Yas, this time around, did not just aim for the corporate name only, it rebranded even its fintech platform from TigoPesa to Mixx by Yas.

This is not only normal, but also the most significant business evolu­tion undergone by any growth-ori­ented company.

Speaking at the rebranding event, the Chief Guest, Mr Jerry Silaa, the Minister for Information, Commu­nications and Information Tech­nology, said that the transformation translated into crucial milestones towards ambitious financial inclu­sion and digitisation drive for Tan­zanians.

This momentous change is part of the Axian Telecom Group’s long-term blueprint of ensuring that not only its subsidiaries share a com­mon corporate name across the region, but also the name has to be powerful and synonymous with the Group’s vision.

At Yas, this remarkable tweaking of the brands speaks of the com­pany’s burning desire to fast-track cashless economy, digital transac­tions and financial stability.

In other words, it is the business expansion and diversification mod­el of customer portfolio.

There are some implications for that approach however its benefits are unmatchable as the company’s upward growth and its overall con­tribution to the country’s economy are evidenced.

In the marking of 100 days since the rebranding, we have seen noth­ing short of tremendous transfor­mation within the telecommunica­tions industry.

Commenting on the 100 days of Yas, the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Yas, Mr Isaac Nchunda, says that the first 100 days since their grand rebranding have been very positive for the Yas and Mixx customers and stakeholders.

“Yas and Mixx are dedicated to enabling their customers to lever­age digital potential. We also want to be known as a corporate citizen to every stakeholder of ours.”

“As a commercial officer, I have always had sleepless nights and long days trying to figure out what the best digital solutions are avail­able for Tanzanians out there. That is our focus as a trusted telecom brand, and our vision too,” elaborat­ed Mr Nchunda.

He added: “In these 100 days, we would not have mafe it if it was not for our customers and stakehold­ers who stayed with us since our groundbreaking rebranding cam­paign.”

Why the 100 days’ worth it

The 100-day campaign has con­siderably impacted the lives of more than 1,300 Tanzanians through the coveted ‘Magift ya Kugift’ promo­tional campaign.

In the said campaign, different lucrative prizes were given to Yas customers and stakeholders.

“Two lavish cars with zero kilo­meters, KIA Sorento, were offered, more than Sh840 cash prize was also dished out as well as more than 540 smartphones were given to dif­ferent winners.”

This is part of the company’s thanksgiving tradition, cementing its resolve to continue to deliv­er value-for-money propositions through quality services and pecu­liar promotions.

Yas has invested heavily in finan­cial technology that offers seamless access to wide-range and faster con­nectivity services.

It also upgraded its Mixx plat­form to make sure that customers access financial services anywhere, anytime.

The purpose is to make it easier for Tanzanian individuals and busi­nesses to exploit available digital opportunities.

Accolades galore

In the 100 days of rebranding, Yas has collected enough national and global awards, showcasing its excel­lence.

Yas has won the Fastest Network in Tanzania Award for two consec­utive years from Ookla Internation­al. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) quar­terly reports have named Yas the Best Network three times in a row.

Also, in different periods, the company has been named as the Best Internet Service Provider in Tanzania, the Company with Sus­tainable and Energy Efficient ICT Technologies, the Second Runner – Best Use of ICT in Education (eShools Project), the Winner – Largest Taxpayer of the Year (Cus­toms) and the Winner – Company that adheres to the principles and best practices of Customs Duty Col­lection.

These awards demonstrate its commitment to being a leader in the Tanzanian communications sector for the quality of services and contribution to the development of the Nation.

Strategic partnership to deliver innovative services anywhere in Tanzania

Within the first 100 days, Yas has entered into a strategic agree­ment to deliver innovative services to Tanzanians in partnership with ITHUBA, the official operator of the National Lottery Platform.

“Our partnership is focused on using modern technology to ensure that Tanzanians enjoy gaming wherever they are.

“We have partnered with the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) to enable Tanzanians to participate directly in investments using sim­plified and more secure technolo­gy,” explains Mr Nchunda.

Conclusion

In the first 100 days, Yas has brought about significant changes for its customers, enhanced its ser­vices, won important awards that demonstrates its leadership in the communications industry, and col­laborated with stakeholders from various sectors to ensure that tech­nology is appropriately used to sim­plify access to various services in Tanzania.

“This is just the beginning – we promise to continue improving our services to exceed customer expec­tations every day because this is our time,” concluded Mr Nchunda.