#8: Reliance Jio - How India's largest company enabled a mobile revolution & how Africa can also have a "Jio Moment"

Overview: Today we’re going to talk about the potential for a Reliance Jio moment in Africa. We'll start with some context of the Reliance parent group, its telco subsidiary - Reliance Jio (& its digital services subsidiary Jio Platforms) & their impact on India. Then we'll end by discussing ways Africa can also have a Reliance Jio moment. This episode was recorded on July 26, 2020.

Companies discussed: Reliance group, Reliance Jio / Jio Platforms, Dangote Group, Remgro, Transcorp, Naspers, Safaricom / Vodacom, Transsion, América Móvil & MTN

Business concepts discussed: India Tech, vertical integration, government relationships, pricing strategy, import substitution, industrialization, debt financing & equity fund raising

 

Conversation highlights:

• (00:33) - Why the Reliance Jio story is important to Africa
• (02:29) - Background on Reliance parent group - founding & IPO
• (03:50) - Reliance backward integration & expansion
• (07:20) - Similarities to African conglomerates
• (11:04) - Starting Reliance Jio Telecoms
• (13:17) - Jio impact on competition, Indian economy & consumers
• (18:55) - Jio 2020 fundraising
• (24:24) - How can we have a "Jio moment" in Africa?
• (25:47) - Western Africa candidates to create a Jio moment
• (28:27) - Southern Africa candidates to create a Jio moment
• (35:27) - Eastern Africa candidates to create a Jio moment
• (37:00) - African governments or Non-African candidates to create a Jio moment
• (42:13) - Bankole’s overall thoughts & outlook
• (46:26) - Olumide’s overall thoughts & outlook
• (50:30) - Bankole’s recommendation & small wins
• (54:18) - Olumide’s recommendation & small wins

 

Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: Designing your life book (by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans)
• Small win: "Earnings calls" app by Borsa Finance --> It's earnings season!
• Small win: Kuda bank --> First digital-only Nigerian bank

 

Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters
• Small win: Watched football this weekend with my friends on a conference call. Potential for a unified co-watching experience product --> Have ideas? E-mail us!
  
  

We’d love to hear from you. If you have feedback, topics you’d like to hear, or just want to say hello, please email info@afrobility.com

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