Zain Group


Mobile Telecommunications Company K.S.C.P., doing business as Zain, is a Kuwaiti mobile telecommunications company founded in 1983 in Kuwait as MTC, and later rebranded as Zain in 2007. Zain has a commercial presence in eight countries across the Middle East with 49.5 million active customers as of 31 December 2019. The Vice Chairman and Group CEO is Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, who was appointed in March 2017. Approximately 24.6% of the company is owned by Kuwait Investment Authority; 21.9% is owned by Omantel; only shareholders that own above 5% are disclosed.
The Zain brand is one of the most recognized telecom brands across the MENA region, with a brand value in excess of USD 2.3 billion.
Zain Group has many YouTube channels, which are called Zain, Zain Bahrain, Zainiraq, Zain Jordan, Zain Kuwait, ZainKSA and Zain Sudan. The main channel, Zain, has at least 855 thousand subscribers and has made 151 videos as of today.

Financial highlights

Zain is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. There are no restrictions on Zain shares as the company's capital is 100% free float and publicly traded. The largest shareholder is the Kuwait Investment Authority.
For the full-year 2019, Zain Group generated consolidated revenue of KD 1.66 billion, an impressive 26% Y-o-Y growth, while consolidated EBITDA for the period rose by 40% Y-o-Y to reach KD 728 million, reflecting a healthy EBITDA margin of 44%. Consolidated net income reached KD 217 million, up 10% and reflecting Earnings Per Share of 50 Fils. 

Operations

Zain has presence in a number of countries.
CountrySiteRemarks
Zain started operations in the Kingdom of Bahrain on 14 August 2003 as MTC-Vodafone. Since then, it has introduced 4.5G LTE services to the country. Zain's network covers 100% of the Bahrain's Bahraini population.
Zain has provided mobile services in Iraq since December 2003. After securing a 15-year license in August 2007, Zain Iraq acquired Iraqna’s network, becoming the largest mobile operator in Iraq with 15.7 million customers.
In 1994, Zain in Jordan, formerly Fastlink, was the first to introduce mobile services in the country. In 2003, it was the first to join what is now the Zain Group's Middle East portfolio. it now offers 4.5G LTE services across the Kingdom.
Zain in Kuwait is the group's flagship operation, which was established in 1983 and in 1994 became the first telecom operator to launch commercial GSM services in the region and now offers nationwide 4.5G LTE. In June 2019, the operator launched 5G commercial services and by end of 2019, covered over 90% of populated areas with 5G services.
In June 2004, Zain won a four-year management contract to operate one of Lebanon's two GSM networks, rebranded to touch, which has subsequently been renewed. In June 2012, MTC Touch rebranded to touch. touch also offers 4.5G LTE services.
On 14 March 2009, Zain in a 50/50 partnership with Al Ajial Investment Fund Holding acquired 31% of Wana Corporate SA INWI in Morocco.
Zain launched its commercial operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 26 August 2008, a year after it was awarded its mobile license. The group holds management control of the operation and has a 37% ownership stake. Zain Saudi Arabia offers nationwide 4.5G LTE services. In October 2019, Zain KSA launched 5G commercial services in what was then the largest 5G rollout in Europe, Middle East and Africa and 3rd largest globally.
Zain is the No. 1 operator in South Sudan.
In February 2006, Zain acquired the remaining 61% stake of Mobitel, Sudan's first mobile operator, in a deal valued at $1.332 billion, resulting in 100% ownership. The company was rebranded to Zain in September 2007 and subsequently renewed its license in Sudan for a period of 20 years through its subsidiary Zain Sudan. The operation offers 4G services in major cities across the country.

Presence in Africa (2005–2010)

From 2005 to 2010, Zain maintained a presence in a number of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to its core market in the MENA region.
Zain entered Africa in May 2005 through the $3.4 billion purchase of Celtel International which had 13 country operations in Africa, serving five million customers at that time. Zain invested heavily across the continent through network upgrades and acquiring two more country licences. By June 2010, Zain had over 40 million customers across the continent, operating in Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
In early 2010, Zain accepted an offer for the sale of all its Africa operations. On 8 June 2010, Zain announced that it had satisfied all required conditions precedent to closing of the sale of 100% of Zain Africa BV to Bharti Airtel Limited for $10.7 billion on an enterprise basis.
Today, Zain operates on the African continent only in Sudan and South Sudan.