Airtel Africa Names Dinesh Balsingh As CEO Of Airtel Nigeria

Airtel Africa has appointed Mr. Dinesh Balsingh as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airtel Nigeria.

The appointment, effective November 1, 2024, also makes Mr. Balsingh a member of the Airtel Africa Group’s Executive Council.

He succeeds Mr. Carl Cruz, who stepped down in October 2024 after a 17-month tenure as CEO. Mr. Cruz, who assumed the role in May 2023, is returning to his home country, the Philippines.

Mr. Balsingh brings over 24 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, with significant exposure to the Nigerian market. He previously served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Airtel Nigeria before his appointment as MD/CEO of Airtel Tanzania in 2022.

During his tenure in Tanzania, he led the company to remarkable growth by implementing innovative pricing strategies, enhancing product offerings, and ensuring disciplined execution. Under his leadership, Airtel Tanzania achieved significant gains in Revenue Market Share (RMS) in a highly competitive environment.

Mr. Balsingh began his career in 2000 with Hutchison Essar and has since held critical roles at Airtel India and Tata Docomo. He joined Airtel Nigeria as Marketing Director in 2013 and was promoted to CCO in 2018. He holds an MBA from the Thiagarajar School of Management, a qualification that complements his extensive industry experience.

Mr. Sunil Taldar, CEO of Airtel Africa, expressed confidence in Mr. Balsingh’s ability to drive growth and innovation 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,” Mr. Taldar stated.

With his strategic insights and market expertise, Mr. Balsingh is expected to bolster Airtel Nigeria’s position in the country’s competitive telecommunications market.

Airtel Nigeria is the second-largest telecom operator in the country, trailing MTN, which holds the largest market share. As of September 2024, data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed Airtel had 53.7 million active subscriptions and 44.7 million internet customers.

Although the adoption of 5G technology in Nigeria remains low at 2.19 percent as of September 2024, Airtel is one of three telecom operators in the country to have launched 5G services, aiming to enhance internet speed and connectivity.