Airtel Africa has announced the appointment of Dinesh Balsingh as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria.
The appointment, effective November 1, 2024, also makes Balsingh a member of Airtel Africa Group’s Executive Council.
Balsingh succeeds Carl Cruz, who stepped down in October to return to his home country, the Philippines.
Recall that Cruz, the outgoing CEO was named the helmsman at Airtel Nigeria in May 2023, thus spending 17 months in that position.
A familiar face in Nigerian telecommunications
According to Airtel, Balsingh brings over 24 years of extensive experience in the telecommunications industry.
He is no stranger to the Nigerian market, having previously served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Airtel Nigeria before his appointment as Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Tanzania in 2022.
“During his tenure in Tanzania, Balsingh led the company to record-breaking growth, leveraging innovative pricing strategies, enhanced product offerings, and disciplined execution.
“His leadership resulted in significant gains in Revenue Market Share (RMS) within a highly competitive landscape,” the company stated.
- Balsingh’s career in the telecommunications sector began in 2000 with Hutchison Essar, followed by roles at Airtel India as Marketing Director in 2006 and Tata Docomo in 2011.
- He joined Airtel Nigeria as Marketing Director in 2013, advancing to the position of CCO in 2018.
- Balsingh holds a Master of Business Administration from Thiagarajar School of Management, a credential that complements his extensive industry expertise.
Strategic vision for Airtel Nigeria
Commenting on the new appointment, Sunil Taldar, CEO of Airtel Africa, expressed confidence in Balsingh’s ability to drive growth in the Nigerian market.
“Mr. Balsingh’s deep telecommunications experience and strong operational execution, combined with his knowledge of the Nigerian market, will be instrumental in further supporting our corporate purpose of transforming lives across Nigeria,” Taldar said.
As Balsingh assumes leadership of Airtel Nigeria, the company said it is poised to leverage his strategic insights and market knowledge to strengthen its position in one of Africa’s most dynamic telecommunications markets.
What you should know
Airtel is the second-largest telecom operator in Nigeria, following closely behind MTN which controls the largest share of the market.
As of September 2024, data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that Airtel had 53.7 million active subscriptions and 44.7 million internet customers.
Although adoption is still low, standing at 2.19% as of September, Airtel is one of the three telecom operators in Nigeria that have launched 5G to enhance internet speed. sa
