
African Banks Quietly Become MVNOs to Hold Their Customers
A growing cohort of African retail banks and fintechs are launching branded mobile services to deepen primary relationships and stack data signals.
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Contact Centres & CX
600+ agents, 3M+ interactions/month across 60+ brands
Marketing, Creative & Agency
Performance marketing, AI creative production, and digital agency
MVNO Launch & Telecoms
End-to-end MVNO infrastructure, billing, and managed ops
Customer Data & AI
CDP, segmentation, journey orchestration, predictive analytics
Managed Security
24/7 SOC, endpoint protection, compliance, vCISO
Commerce & Fulfilment
Marketplace, payments, POS, logistics, last-mile delivery
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Market Insights
White papers, articles, and expert perspectives from across the DSG group -- organised by the areas that matter to your business.
In-depth research from MVNE, our specialist MVNO enablement business, on launching and scaling mobile virtual network operators in Africa.
24 articles

A growing cohort of African retail banks and fintechs are launching branded mobile services to deepen primary relationships and stack data signals.
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Wholesale operator interest in branded MVNOs across South Africa and Nigeria has picked up again this month as retailers test loyalty-led connectivity plays.
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South Africa's first geospatial broadband infrastructure map, published in the SADIS 2025 study, reveals where connectivity gaps exist and what it will take to close them. We rate the key initiatives on their potential to unlock digital business growth and economic participation across the country.
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Introduces Broadbrand's Marketing-as-a-Service model, explaining how brands can outsource marketing functions for on-demand, data-driven strategies at lower cost. Covers the shift from personalisation as a differentiator to a necessity, and how managed services address skills gaps and budget constraints.
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Outlines the critical success factors for MVNOs in Africa's growing $4 billion market. Covers differentiation through unique value propositions like DStv Internet, the importance of exceptional customer experience, data-driven decision making, operational agility, and the role of MVNE partnerships and telco-powered marketing.
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Argues that South Africa's greatest export is human talent, which cannot be tariffed. Details the BPO sector's role in addressing 62% youth unemployment, with 92% of new jobs going to youth. Covers the evolution beyond traditional call centres into AI, cybersecurity, and advanced analytics roles.
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The embedded SIM (eSIM) is revolutionising connectivity across mobile phones, IoT devices, vehicles, and security systems. This article explores how eSIM technology offers greater flexibility, simplified device manufacturing, and the potential to completely transform wireless technology as 5G networks roll out globally.
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Authentic leadership is the foundation of trust and business success. This article explores why open and honest communication, leading from the heart, and building a values-driven culture are essential for creating meaningful connections with employees, customers, and stakeholders in an era of hybrid work and misinformation.
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From launching the world's first mobile commerce transaction on WAP in 2000 to the rise of blockchain and AI-powered payment processing, this article traces the evolution of payment systems. It explores how embedded payments, omnichannel commerce, and smart contracts are creating a frictionless, cashless future.
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As DSG celebrates its 24th birthday, this article reflects on exponential business models and how companies can achieve 10X growth. Drawing on examples from Google, Amazon, and network effects, it explores how businesses can leverage compounding, shared risk models, and an exponential mindset to stay ahead of disruption.
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DSG stands for Digital Solutions Group, but it also stands for Doing Something Great. This article explores how DSG applies its digital know-how to create positive social, economic and educational impact, and outlines the company's core values that drive everything from customer service to community contribution.
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Attention to detail is one of the most important skills for any business. This article explores how meticulous attention to detail can improve customer experience, brand recognition, and employee morale, and provides strategies for building a detail-oriented business culture.
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This deeply personal article traces the entrepreneurial journey of DSG's founder, from founding DigitalMall.com in 1998 to pioneering the world's first mobile commerce transaction. Along the way, it explores the origins of personalised marketing, the dot-com boom and bust, and the resilience needed to build a lasting digital business in Africa.
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Explains how MVNE helps brands combine their core business with telco to create unique customer value propositions. Showcases DSTV Internet as a success story and traces the history of mobile commerce innovation in Africa, from the first mobile transaction in 2000 to modern app-driven insurance models.
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Explores how brands can build customer-centric organisations through personalised, data-driven approaches. Covers the importance of employee experience, frictionless UX design, AI/IoT adoption, permission marketing, and the role of digital nudges in driving higher conversions.
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Dedicated to building digital resilience during Cyber Security Month, this newsletter covers the evolution from e-commerce pioneers to cybersecurity specialists. Discusses AI-powered threat detection, SOAR platforms, password security with LastPass, phishing awareness with Beauceron Security, and the global shortage of 3.5 million cybersecurity professionals.
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Explores the growing importance of digital identity protection during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Covers types of digital identities, how breaches occur, the transition to a cookie-less future, and why consent-based permission marketing is the critical foundation for data privacy and trusted customer relationships.
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Makes the case for businesses to shift from traditional to digital marketing and operations. Covers the importance of digital transformation for competitive advantage, the decline of Fortune 500 companies that failed to innovate, and how adaptive marketing strategies deliver higher ROI.
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Big data is transforming every industry from healthcare to e-commerce. This article explains what big data is, how it differs from traditional data, and why it matters for business decisions. It also showcases DSG's real-world application of big data in motor insurance through driver behaviour analytics.
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In a world where the web has transformed every aspect of life, businesses must become digital by design to remain competitive. This article explores what it means to be a digital-first business, why it matters for customer experience and productivity, and how DSG has been at the forefront of digital enablement since the early days of the internet.
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Building a high-performance culture is essential for business success in the evolving hybrid work landscape. This article outlines ten qualities of high-performance cultures, strategies for process excellence, and practical advice on time management and goal setting to help teams achieve peak performance.
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Highlights from GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, exploring how mobile technology is transforming customer experience globally. Covers 5G growth, early 6G developments, Web 3.0 augmented reality applications, and the startup ecosystem at 4YFN.
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From DSG's first advert for digitalmall.com in the late nineties to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro as a team, this article traces the evolution of online commerce and connectivity in Africa, explores the Gartner hype cycle for technology adoption, and celebrates the power of teamwork and peak performance.
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Explores the MVNO landscape in Africa from the perspective of a decade-long MVNE operator. Covers the regulatory frameworks across different African markets, the role of MVNEs in bridging MNOs and MVNOs, and why the African market - with less than 1% MVNO share compared to 42% in the Netherlands - represents massive growth potential.
Read ArticleLatest thinking from MVNE on MVNO strategy and the African telecoms landscape.
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