There was a time when Airtel Uganda was the darling of the telecom industry. From its early years as Celtel, then Zain and finally rebranding with Warid to form the current Airtel, the company was seen as the most trusted, most affordable, and most reliable network for the average Ugandan.
Many subscribers will remember when Airtel was the go-to choice for both calls and data, often beating MTN on price and customer satisfaction. It evolved from being a youth favorite to taking over the entire demographics.
But somewhere along the way, the tables have since turned. Today, MTN Uganda seems to have taken the lead, offering equally competitive voice bundles—sometimes even cheaper than Airtel’s—and aggressively improving network quality. While MTN has stepped up its game, Airtel has, in the eyes of many customers, taken a back seat.
The Internet Problem
One of Airtel’s biggest challenges has been its data service. Social media is full of complaints from users claiming their internet bundles deplete far too quickly, with no clear explanation. Many say a bundle that should last a week is gone in a day, even with light usage. These grievances have been repeated for years, but Airtel appears to have done little to address them in a transparent way. With Uganda having a lot of youths who spend a lot of time on the Internet, they feel that the telecom company is doing them and injustice.
Airtel Money Under Fire
Recently, the company’s mobile money platform, Airtel Money, has also come under criticism spearheaded by Makerere University lecturer and social media activist, Dr. Jim Spire Ssentongo. Since this, the company has been put on an exhibition by ugandans. Customers report delays, failed transactions, and missing funds—sometimes taking days or weeks to resolve. When the company came out to address the ongoing complaints about it, it published a wanting statement that addressed nothing and fuelled even more fury among its users with many threatening to stop using its services. For a service that handles people’s hard-earned money, this kind of inconsistency erodes trust fast.
Negligence and Alleged ‘Mafia’ Links
Meanwhile, what frustrates many customers is not just the problems themselves, but Airtel’s apparent unwillingness to respond effectively. Complaints often go unanswered, or are met with unending apologies that fix nothing especially when it involves large sums of money. Adding to the suspicion, there are whispers in among users that the company is protected by “government mafias.” They believe it’s these powerful connections that allow it to escape accountability even as service quality declines. Many feel that UCC should have already come out with a statement about the ongoing cries but it has stated silent.
The Road Ahead
Apparently, if Airtel does not urgently address these issues of data depletion, mobile money reliability, and customer care, it risks losing even more ground to MTN and other emerging players. It’s important to note that elecom is a trust-based business. Therefore once customers feel cheated, they move on, and winning them back becomes almost impossible.
For a company that was once Uganda’s telecom champion, it is painful to watch Airtel’s slow slide. Without strong reforms and genuine engagement with its customers, the network that once stood tall could become just another cautionary tale in Uganda’s business history.
