Airtel Malawi Hikes Bundle Prices amid Economic Pressures
The price hikes come at a time when Malawians are grappling with the effects of a struggling economy, including high inflation and a depreciating currency.
BLANTYRE, Malawi— Airtel Malawi, one of the country's leading mobile network operators, has announced an increase in the prices of its voice, data, and SMS bundles, citing economic challenges as the driving force behind the move, writes Moses Nyirenda.
Effective April 10, 2024, voice bundle prices will rise by 15 percent, data bundles by 23 percent, and SMS bundles by 20 percent, according to a statement released by the company's management on Friday.
"The benefits in bundles will be reduced, effectively increasing the average price for Voice bundles by 15%, Data bundles by 23%, and SMS by 20%," the statement read. "Additionally, some bundles will be discontinued."
Airtel Malawi attributed the price hikes to the cumulative depreciation of the Malawi kwacha by 71% since June 2023, coupled with a 65% increase in general and commercial electricity tariffs and a 42.4% rise in diesel prices.
"The changes have been necessitated by the cumulative loss of value of the Malawi Kwacha by 71% since June 2023, alongside a rise in General/Commercial electricity tariffs by 65% (18% in September 2023 and 40.2% in November 2023), as well as the rise in diesel prices by 42.4%," the statement said.
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has approved the adjustments, according to Airtel Malawi.
This is not the first time Airtel Malawi has raised its bundle prices.
In December 2023, the company implemented a similar change in response to economic pressures.
The price hikes come at a time when Malawians are grappling with the effects of a struggling economy, including high inflation and a depreciating currency.
Consumers have expressed concerns about the impact of the price increases on their ability to access affordable communication services, while industry analysts argue that the move was necessary for Airtel Malawi to maintain profitability and sustain operations in the face of mounting costs.