(Ecofin Agency) - AirtelTigo is the result of the merger of Airtel Ghana and Tigo Ghana in 2017. The company was bought, in April 2021, by the Ghanaian government for $1, but retained its brand name.

Ghanaian telecommunications company AirtelTigo announced it will now operate under the brand name “AT”. This change will apply to all the telecoms operator's sub-brands: AT Money, AT Business, AT Premier, and AT Insurance. It will also apply to all future communications, marketing materials, and branding efforts.

“Our stakeholders should note that this change is only applicable to the brand name and logo, and will not impact our management structure, products, or services. We will continue to offer the same innovative services that our customers have come to know and trust, with an enhanced focus on user experience and customer satisfaction,” said AT CEO Leo Skarlatos.

According to Skarlatos, the name change is part of a strategy to simplify the brand, making it easier for customers to identify and interact with the telecom operator. It comes just over two years after the Ghanaian government bought the company for $1.

AirtelTigo was officially created in November 2017 from the merger of the Ghanaian operations of Bharti Airtel and Millicom International Cellular (MIC). The two groups had decided to join forces to remain competitive in the Ghanaian telecoms market, which was then contested by six companies. At the time, their respective subsidiaries held 4th and 3rd place in terms of market share. By joining forces, they snatched second place, behind MTN and ahead of Vodafone.

The new brand identity could enable AT to reposition itself in the Ghanaian telecoms market, where it has been losing ground in recent years. According to statistics from the National Communications Authority (NCA), the company saw its market share drop from 25.82% in October 2018 to 14.51% in January 2023. Currently, rivals Vodafone and MTN hold 18.17% and 67.32% of the mobile market respectively.

Isaac K. Kassouwi