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Louis Onyango Otieno

BOARD CHAIR – AIRTEL KENYA

In July 2022, Airtel Kenya appointed ICT and business expert Louis Onyango Otieno, Chair of its Board. Otieno has since brought on board a unique set of experiences from both the public and private sectors in the United States of America (USA) and Africa that drive his passion for ICT development: a perfect fit for the fastest growing telecommunication provider in Kenya.

Having trained in software development for his undergraduate and later attaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, Louis began his career in the USA, where he rose to become Assistant Vice President at EEC Financial Services in New York and New Jersey.

In 1997, he returned to Africa to drive Microsoft’s expansion across West, East, Central Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. Otieno served in various senior roles, including Director for the Marketing, Business Operations and Enterprise Sales groups and General Manager (GM) for East and Southern Africa until 2012. Thereafter, Louis became Founder Director of Microsoft 4Afrika: a strategic initiative aimed at helping Africa accelerate its economic growth and global competitiveness, a position he relinquished in 2018.

Otieno then turned his attention to board positions, drawing from his vast exposure and resourcefulness in the worlds of enterprise and technology. He currently sits as a Director on the boards of  Nation Media Group (NMG) and Absa Bank of Kenya, infusing his tremendous knowledge on Digital Transformation.

He is the Chair of the Board of Absa Asset Management Kenya.

Louis is a past President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kenya. He has also served on the boards of Kenya’s Vision 2030, Enablis (E. Africa), Red Media (Nigeria) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Council.

Looking back at Airtel Kenya, under Louis’s short yet impactful visionary leadership stretch thus far, the telco made several leaps in the past year, with several more planned for 2023. 

Firmly believing that African innovations transform the world, Chair Otieno regularly travels to rural areas, seeking inspiration for the application of ICT to impact Africa’s people and future positively. This seamlessly goes hand-in-hand with Airtel Kenya’s announcement, made in December 2022, of the launch of lower-priced Internet Broadband devices for homes, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and communities in small towns and remote areas.

The initiative, dubbed ‘Internet Mashinani’, consists of two devices: a 4G Smart box retailing at KES 5,500, including 10GB free data, and a 4G pocket Wi-Fi retailing at KES 2,500, including 5GB free data. Upon recharge, one gets 50 percent extra data on both devices. The devices’ rates are quite affordable, in line with Airtel’s strategy of increasing accessibility to communication services and the internet. Foreseeing the launch of the new programme was the ICT Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo, noting that the move is in accordance with the Government’s plan to digitally transform the nation by enforcing inclusivity. “Taking high-speed, low-cost connectivity to the grassroots with #AirtelMashinani,” Otieno commented on his LinkedIn page, alluding to the programme.

Airtel Kenya’s share in the voice market rose to a record high in the first half of 2022. Data from the Communications Authority (CA) shows that Airtel Kenya grew its share to 33.7 percent, a rise of 1.6 percent as of June 30th 2022, as the telco rode on lower tariffs. Callers spent 6.36 billion minutes, a 3.8 percent rise from 6.13 billion minutes, illustrating the firm’s commitment to ensuring affordable services for all Kenyans. 

This year, Airtel Kenya is set to introduce its fifth generation (5G) mobile broadband service in high-income neighbourhoods, which have the gadgets and purchasing power to benefit from faster internet speeds. The announcement in February 2023 comes hot on the heels of Airtel Kenya’s acquisition of the necessary spectrum to roll out 5G technology fully.

Similarly, in February 2023, Airtel Kenya became the second telco in Kenya to offer the embedded SIM (eSIM), which has become commonplace across many parts of the world. The eSIM enables one to get a seamless device setup experience without inserting or replacing a physical SIM card. It also allows the use of multiple mobile numbers, both physical and eSIM, on one device, subsequently reducing the hassle of moving around with several phones. Additionally, there is no risk of losing one’s SIM and minimal risk of damage. For frequent travellers, the eSIM is very convenient for switching between network operators at a much faster rate.

As Airtel Kenya works on growing its footprint across the country while driving towards profitability and prosperity, there is no doubt that the telco is in exceptionally good hands, with Louis O Otieno steering its board.

Aside from his telco role, Louis enjoys mentoring many young professionals, some of whom now lead ICT multinationals across Africa. He firmly believes in empowering the leaders of tomorrow, especially at a time when the world’s developing countries are undertaking digital transformation.