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Transforming Customer Support to Lower Costs: A Priority for African Operators

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4 years ago

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Nordics

Affordable pricing is now the biggest challenge to the growth of Africa’s digital economy

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, November 7, 2022/APO Group/ — 

SUBTONOMY (https://www.Subtonomy.com/), the leading Network Experience Platform provider in the Nordics, has announced it will be showcasing how African operators can vastly improve customer service without increasing their costs at AfricaCom in South Africa (8-10 November 2022).

Increased operational efficiency key to Africa’s digital future

In August 2022, one gigabyte of mobile data cost[1]:

  • USD29.5 in São Tomé and Príncipe
  • USD0.48 in Algeria, Africa’s cheapest data market
  • USD0.04 in Israel, the world’s cheapest data market.

Affordable pricing is now the biggest challenge to the growth of Africa’s digital economy. So why are prices so high? One factor elevating prices is mobile operators’ costs. Operators are being asked to roll out networks more widely, upgrade from 2G to 3G, to 4G and now 5G, and at the same time provide better support for their customers. All while charging a lower cost per megabyte. The only way they can meet these expectations is through increased efficiency throughout their organization. Doing this requires them to scrutinize all their costs – one of the biggest of which is customer service.

Customer support is both a cause of frustration and a big cost

African customers consider service quality to be critical [2] and are more willing than ever to vote with their feet if not satisfied. Operators are therefore challenged to develop innovative strategies to enhance service quality, as well as responsiveness when things go wrong[3].

The good news is there’s considerable scope for both greater efficiency and cost reduction. Research shows, for example, that 47% of customer complaints in South Africa are related to the quality of customer service itself[4], with time-to-resolve one of the biggest causes of frustration. Speeding queuing time, as well as the time taken to resolve queries, alleviates customer frustration, reduces costs, makes staff more productive and avoids customer churn. The question is how to increase efficiency while also minimizing the cost and disruption associated with change?

By reusing data sources they already have, operators can quickly and cost-effectively transform their technical customer support

Learning from others’ experience will turbo-charge customer support efficiency

Other mobile-first economies have already been down the path of optimizing digital customer support, meaning that African operators can benefit from their experience to accelerate change in their own customer support organizations. In the Nordics, for example, digital customer support provision is both efficient and effective at keeping customers happy and more engaged. This has resulted in operators experiencing 20% fewer calls to their contact centres, 47% reductions in the time taken to resolve a customer query, and 60% reductions in escalations[5]. All of which reduce costs.

Change doesn’t have to come at great cost

With the need to keep costs and disruption to a minimum, African operators can benefit immediately from the approach taken by Subtonomy, an expert provider of digital customer support applications. By re-using existing data sources – including passive probes (eg Amdocs, Anritsu, Commprove, Empirix, Exfo, Polystar, Radcom, Tektronix, Teoco or Viavi, Tektronix), BSS and OSS, cell data and device data – Subtonomy enables operators to deliver a 360o real-time view of actual customer experience quickly[6] and at low cost. This empowers them to provide fast, efficient digital support 24/7.

“By reusing data sources they already have, operators can quickly and cost-effectively transform their technical customer support. Our solution not only future proofs them against further change but also enables them to squeeze more value out of what they already have – such as legacy probes and BSS/OSS solutions.” Andreas Jörbeck, CEO and co-founder of Subtonomy.

To find out how operators in the Nordics have delivered increased efficiency and better customer support, operators are invited to meet with Subtonomy at AfricaCom 2022. Book a meeting here: APO Group rep (malika.bouayad@apo-opa.com).

[1]Statista 1 August 2022.

[2]Ngwenya, M., 2017. Analysing service quality using customer expectations and perceptions in the South African telecommunication industry. In: 2017 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) pp. 1094-1097

[3]Mpwanya, M. F., 2019. An empirical examination of the overall customer satisfaction with the service delivery of mobile network operators in South Africa. Global Business Review, pp. 1-17. (https://bit.ly/3FPTKGB)

[4]BrandsEye (2019) revealed that 47% of complaints in South Africa were about the quality of customer service. Complaints related to the operator’s turnaround time (37%), and failure to attend to social media queries (44%).

[5]Subtonomy customers in the Nordics have shown remarkable improvements to their customer support efficiency. By increasing efficient support for digital self-service they have seen 20% fewer calls to the contact center, a 47% reduction in average handling time (the time taken by an agent to resolve the query) and 60% fewer escalations (the need to handover to more experienced or technical support staff). In fact 75% of queries are being automated via digital support channels. All of this substantially increases the efficiency while reducing the cost of customer support.

[6]Typically, Subtonomy’s platform and applications can be implemented in as little as 3-4 months.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Subtonomy.

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From Ancient Delicacy to Global Trend: The Industrial Upgrade and Global Journey of Ningxia Goji Berries

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6 hours ago

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June 16, 2026

By

Ningxia Goji Berries

ZHONGWEI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 June 2026 – Lush plantations glitter across the sun-drenched Yellow River alluvial plain at an elevation of 1,100 meters on the eastern flank of the Helan Mountains. This is Zhongning County in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, located in northwestern China. As the opening ceremony of the 9th Goji Berry Industry Expo officially kicks off on June 14th here, farmers are busy harvesting the first goji berries of 2026.

Ningxia Goji Berries

While goji berries are widely cultivated across China, Ningxia goji berries stand out for their exceptional quality and have become the region’s most iconic specialty. As the core producing area of authentic Ningxia goji berries, also known as wolfberries, Zhongning enjoys over 3,000 hours of annual sunlight. The weakly alkaline soil, formed by the convergence of the Yellow River and Qingshui River, is rich in essential minerals and trace elements. These unique natural conditions have given birth to this distinctive “Magic Fruit.”

“Every single goji berry is hand-picked,” said Pan Tai’an, chairman of Ningxia Wolfberry Goji Industry Co., Ltd., a leading regional goji producer. “The goji trees blossom and bear fruit simultaneously, which means all berries must be harvested manually.”

“Thanks to Ningxia’s cool climate, pests and diseases are rare here. Still, we never use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We only apply organic compost to guarantee the pure, natural quality of our goji berries,” he added.

From a Local Specialty to a Health and Lifestyle Trend

In China, Ningxia goji berries have been treasured as a medicinal and edible delicacy. It is the only goji variety officially listed for medicinal use in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. The ancient Chinese medical masterpiece, the Shennong Ben Cao Jing (Classic of Materia Medica), documents their anti-aging properties. This profound cultural heritage has laid a solid foundation for Ningxia goji berries to enter international markets.

Today, this ancient red berry has gained unprecedented global popularity. Boasting powerful anti-aging benefits, high vitamin C content, and abundant antioxidants, Ningxia goji berries have become a trending “superfood” on international social media. Overseas consumers are willing to pay a premium for authentic Ningxia products, freeing the berry from its former identity as a niche, rustic specialty.

“Western researchers have long been studying the health benefits of goji berries, including immune enhancement, anti-tumor effects, and anti-aging properties. They call it a ‘superfood’ and extract its active ingredients for use in health supplements and cosmetics,” Pan Tai’an explains. “This inspired me to focus on deep processing, because that’s where the real value lies.”

For decades, the industry was held back by two major bottlenecks: the extreme perishability of fresh berries and underdeveloped deep-processing technology. To address these issues, the company invested six years in intensive R&D and successfully developed ambient-temperature preservation technology for goji puree. This pioneering breakthrough fills a technical gap and sets world-leading standards for the global goji industry.

To retain precious nutrients, fresh goji berries go through cleaning, pulping, sterilization and canning within two hours after harvest. This rigorous workflow best preserves key nutrients including goji polysaccharides, betaine and zeaxanthin to the greatest extent possible.

Powered by this core innovation, the company has produced over 100,000 tons of goji puree, with total sales exceeding 2 billion yuan (about 293 million U.S. dollars). More importantly, the technology has driven the construction of 50 high-standard production lines across Ningxia, marking a decisive shift – transforming the regional industry from raw material sales to high-value product manufacturing.

According to the latest data provided by the Goji Industry Development Center of the Ningxia Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ningxia’s goji marketing network covers more than 50 countries and regions spanning Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. In 2025, Ningxia’s fresh goji berry output reached 200,000 tons, with the full industrial chain output value exceeding 21.3 billion yuan.

From Product Upgrade to a Global Cultural Brand

While technology-driven companies like Ningxia Wolfberry are deepening their presence in international supply chains, emerging players in the goji industry are reshaping the consumer perception of goji berries as “just a traditional medicinal herb.” As a leader in e-commerce, Ningxia Qilixiang Goji Co., Ltd. is dedicated to promoting this traditional tonic to the younger generation. Founded in 2009 by three university students with a startup fund of just 700 yuan from their living allowances, the company has now grown into a top-tier brand with annual sales exceeding 1 billion yuan.

To transform traditional wellness into a trendy lifestyle, Qilixiang has developed a variety of blended purees – such as goji-ginseng, red date-goji, and mulberry-goji – all paired with eye-catching packaging. Operating about 200 online stores, the company has consistently ranked first in e-commerce sales for goji products.

These Innovative, high-value-added products derived from goji berries – including goji puree, goji seed oil, and goji juice – are now enjoying immense global demand. Once viewed as a mysterious Chinese herbal remedy, Ningxia goji berries have now become part of daily life for middle-class families from New York to London, a favorite among Hollywood celebrities, and a common ingredient in premium restaurants worldwide.

The international reputation is built on rigorous quality control. To meet the highest global food safety standards for organic products, Ningxia goji companies adhere to the world’s most stringent regulations. For instance, Ningxia Wolfberry has held organic certifications from North America, the European Union and Japan for 21 consecutive years, earning a “green pass” to the global market. To date, its products have been exported to 33 countries and regions worldwide.

Today, Ningxia’s goji industry is no longer confined to production and sales; it is gradually embracing a diversified development model. With the establishment of goji art galleries, history museums, and experience centers, the industry is shifting from merely “selling products” to “selling scenery” and “selling culture,” growing into a multi-faceted and integrated economic driver.

The transformation of Ningxia goji berries reflects the progress and the rise of Chinese products and brands. It has evolved from a little-known northwest specialty and low-end raw material exporter into a global health trend and a modern, diversified industry fueled by technology, creativity, and culture. This journey mirrors the broader transformation of China’s traditional agriculture and the innovative drive of its real economy.

 

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Energy

Geoex MCG Named Official Geosciences Partner of Venezuela Energy Week 2026 in Landmark Subsurface Collaboration

Published

14 hours ago

on

June 16, 2026

By

Etu Energias

Geoex MCG, a global subsurface geoscience and data solutions provider, has been appointed Official Geosciences Partner for Venezuela Energy Week, bringing technical depth and geological credibility to discussions surrounding one of Latin America’s most significant hydrocarbon resource bases

CARACAS, Venezuela, June 15, 2026/APO Group/ –Venezuela Energy Week 2026 has appointed Geoex MCG as its Official Geosciences Partner, in a move designed to strengthen the technical foundation of discussions around the country’s vast hydrocarbon basins as upstream activity and international engagement continue to evolve.

Geoex MCG holds a unique position in Venezuela’s upstream sector as the sole provider of offshore seismic data and the only company operating under a multi-client agreement with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons. Its newly reprocessed offshore datasets are currently available for licensing, with plans underway for new data acquisition from 2026 onward to further support exploration and development activities.

The partnership brings a leading subsurface geoscience and geophysical solutions provider into the core of the event’s technical program at a time when Venezuela is seeking to reframe its upstream narrative around data quality, geological certainty and investable resource definition.

“This partnership underscores the growing role of subsurface science in shaping investment decisions and operational strategy across Venezuela’s upstream sector,” said James Chester, CEO of Energy Capital & Power. “It brings greater geological and geophysical rigor at a pivotal moment for the industry, helping bridge the gap between resource potential and subsurface certainty.”

This partnership underscores the growing role of subsurface science in shaping investment decisions and operational strategy across Venezuela’s upstream sector

 

Geoex MCG’s participation is expected to enhance technical discussions on Venezuela’s basin evolution, seismic imaging quality, prospectivity assessment and development of offshore fields. With their newly reprocessed data, exploration in the underexplored frontier areas of the offshore can now be evaluated, as well as improved imaging of existing fields, namely Perla, Rio Caribe/Mejillones/Patao/Dragon and Loran/Cocuina.

 

“Venezuela represents a highly significant subsurface province, where geological potential is well established but increasingly dependent on modern, high-quality data to unlock value,” said Robert Sorley, President, Geoex MCG LLC. “Supported by our exclusive multi-client agreement with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, a growing portfolio of datasets reprocessed in partnership with DUG Technology, and plans for new acquisition, our focus is to enable international explorers to evaluate offshore opportunities with confidence. We are pleased to support Venezuela Energy Week 2026 by strengthening the technical dialogue and bringing greater subsurface clarity to investment and development discussions.”

 

Geoex MCG specializes in the design and delivery of geoscientific surveys, subsurface data acquisition, seismic reprocessing and project management services, supporting exploration and development activities across oil and gas, CCUS, natural hydrogen and other energy sectors. Through its asset-light business model, the company works with selected contractors to deliver tailored subsurface solutions aligned with clients’ technical and commercial objectives.

 

As Venezuela seeks to attract renewed international investment, Venezuela Energy Week is positioning itself as a leading technical and commercial platform where geology, data and capital converge, supporting dialogue on investment frameworks, upstream development and the long-term future of one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon resource bases.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Backs US$7 Billion Dangote Fertiliser Expansion to Strengthen Africa’s Food Security

Published

14 hours ago

on

June 16, 2026

By

Africa Finance Corporation

The transaction deepens AFC’s longstanding partnership with Dangote Group across some of Africa’s most consequential industrial projects

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 15, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s infrastructure solutions provider, is helping drive a US$7 billion fertiliser expansion programme by Dangote Group designed to triple production capacity in Nigeria and establish a major new manufacturing platform in Ethiopia.

As a cornerstone commitment to the programme, AFC is providing a US$600 million facility to Greenview Fertiliser Corp. (Greenview), Dangote’s fertiliser holding company. The transaction deepens AFC’s longstanding partnership with Dangote Group across some of Africa’s most consequential industrial projects. AFC was Co-Coordinating Bank on a US$3 billion syndicated loan for Dangote Refinery and recently received full repayment of its foundational US$300 million senior term loan to Dangote Industries Limited, which helped advance the refinery from concept to reality. The redeployment at double this amount into Dangote Group underscores AFC’s model of providing early-stage risk capital before recycling into the next generation of transformative projects once assets reach stable, cash-generative operations.

The fertiliser investment positions Africa to get ahead of structural trends shaping long-term development priorities, including rapid population growth, rising food demand, climate-related pressures on agricultural systems and the need to capture greater value from natural resources. Recent disruptions to global supply chains and commodity markets have further underscored the risks associated with dependence on imported agricultural inputs. Despite holding some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves and a quarter of its uncultivated arable land, Africa remains reliant on imported fertilizer, making expanded production critical to food security and agricultural resilience.

By supporting the development of the world’s largest fertiliser platform, AFC is helping build the foundation for Africa to feed itself

Dangote’s expansion programme is projected to increase urea fertiliser production capacity in Nigeria from 3 million metric tonnes per annum (“MTPA”) to 9 MTPA, while adding a new 3 MTPA urea fertiliser plant in Ethiopia. It is expected to strengthen regional food security, support agricultural productivity, reduce dependence on imported fertilizer and bolster the continent’s position as a supplier to international markets.

Commenting on the transaction, Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, said: “This investment marks another important milestone in our long-standing partnership with AFC as we embark on the next phase of Dangote Fertilizer’s growth. Expanding our fertiliser production capacity in Nigeria and developing a new plant in Ethiopia will strengthen Africa’s food security, support agricultural productivity, and deepen the continent’s industrial base. AFC has consistently supported Dangote Group at critical stages of our growth, and its renewed commitment reflects confidence in our vision to build globally competitive African industrial platforms”.

Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of AFC, said: “The question before Africa is simple: how will we feed 2.5 billion people by 2050? Africa’s 1.5 billion people consume just 6 million tonnes of urea annually, compared to 40 million tonnes in India and 50 million tonnes in China, despite having similar-sized populations. Closing this productivity gap is essential to Africa’s food security. By supporting the development of the world’s largest fertiliser platform, AFC is helping build the foundation for Africa to feed itself, create productive jobs and strengthen our economic sovereignty. This is not just an investment in fertilizer production. It is evidence of the Africa we are building.”

AFC has played a catalytic role across multiple phases of Dangote Group’s industrial growth, partnering with Access Bank in 2024 to provide Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE’s first working capital facility, supporting crude procurement for commissioning and initial production.

The latest financing reflects AFC’s focus on investments that strengthen the systems underpinning long-term economic growth, including energy, transport, logistics, industrial processing and food security. Alongside investments in strategic transport corridors, ports, power generation and industrial platforms, AFC continues to support projects that increase Africa’s capacity to produce, process and distribute critical goods domestically while expanding exports to regional and international markets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

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