In an announcement made by Africell Uganda, the telco has confirmed that new customers will not be allowed to register for services effective 8th September 2021. This will allow the telco to transition its old customers and provide smooth uninterrupted coverage before and after October 7th, 2021.

Africell UG is permanently ending all mobile network services in Uganda. By 7 October 2021, current Africell UG subscribers must close their accounts and switch to alternative mobile providers. Africell UG is providing support and guidance throughout this process.

This website contains information and resources to help you navigate this transition smoothly. We understand the impact that this change might have and we apologise for any inconvenience. We are grateful to all customers, retailers and other partners for their loyalty to Africell UG.

Africell Uganda stated in a Press statement

Currently, Africell is working with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), local mobile network operators, MTN, Airtel, Lyca Mobile, Smile Communications, and the Ministry of Gender to make the migration process smooth. Existing customers will be merged with a single mobile network operator whereas employees will keep at work until 30th November 2021 in line with guidelines from the Ministry of Gender.

Africell employees will get full salary payments, severance pay, payment of unused annual leave allowance, repatriation pay, and training & support from a dedicated on-site professional. This will facilitate and motivate all active employees to move on to new employers once Africell sends its last ping on Uganda’s network masts.

Prior to the unexpected exit, Africell Uganda was the 3rd largest telecommunications company with over 3 million subscribers finishing a podium led by MTN with 15 million users and Airtel in the mix with 10 million subscribers as of April 2020.

Since its launch to the Ugandan market, Africell has ranked as a fast, affordable network operator every mobile subscriber would prefer to use, and now, Airtel would rank as the second choice Africell customers will be migrated to.

For now, Africell Holding will continue operations in four (4) African markets including Sierra Leone, Gambia, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Angola.

However, Unlimited Internet in Uganda has always been limited with daily and monthly caps in the past, but this has come to change with the emergence of fresh mobile network operators like Lyca mobile that jetted-in with soothing data bundles to its offers catalog.

More so, with the growing internet service provider market which will very soon have satellite providers like Starlink offering broadband services in Uganda, leading operators like MTN, Airtel, Smile, Africell, have now considered a norm of having unlimited Internet capped by speed, and price determined by the maximum Mbps.

By this, when you buy you buy a starter unlimited bundle, your internet connection slows down when you hit the set cap which could be 50GB, 100GB, or 200GB depending on the provider. On the other hand, when you buy speed-based true unlimited pack, your internet connection is only throttled by the traffic you access in Mbps, and so, the higher your preferred speeds, the higher the cost of your unlimited internet bundles.

Occasionally, most true unlimited Internet bundles in Uganda start from 1Mbps or 2Mbps for starters, and progress to as high as 10Mbps or 20Mbps depending on the operator’s terms of usage. By the same path, broadband internet providers also trail in the same mode with prices based on the dedicated connection speeds. Nonetheless, here is what mobile network operators (MNOs) offer in Uganda.

Monthly Unlimited Internet in Uganda by provider

The Best Unlimited Internet provider you should consider in Uganda

As per the monthly, weekly, and daily offers of all mobile operators in Uganda. Smile Communications rocks as the leading unlimited internet provider with multiple offers available to subscribers. For instance, with the telco’s daily unlimited internet package of UGX 15,000, you get speeds of up to 10Mbps capped at 4GB and free unlimited internet from midnight to 6 am.

Henceforth, with all mobile operators limiting their unlimited internet bundles by data volume, you can rely on Liquid Telecom as a provider with multiple choices to choose from. Henceforth, the next time you feel like loading a mobile unlimited internet bundle in Uganda, you now know what internet service providers offer on a monthly, weekly, or daily timeframe.

Africell handed over the new cars today at the Ministry of Health headquarters in a coalition with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). With the cars donated to the Taskforce, Africell’s total contribution can be evaluated at UGX 800 million or more.

According to the Africell CEO Mr. Ziad Daoud, the telco partnered with UCC to support the COVID 19 Taskforce due to the commission’s open environment to support telcos, and end subscribers during this trying COVID19 Period as he said:

Africell is committed to serving our communities, in both good and bad. During this lockdown period, emergency travel capability is a critical need for the authorities. Together with our regulator the Uganda Communication Commission, we are happy to donate three brand new pickup trucks to help the men and women on the frontline do their jobs more effectively

Mr. Ziad Dauod – CEO Africell Uganda

Additionally, the telco donated food to the task force that will be donated to vulnerable citizens most affected by the lockdown. More so, the telco’s rhythm marks it as the 3^rd operator to donate to the task force in Uganda after MTN and Airtel.

Before heading over to the next swipe, Africell Uganda has two main USSD codes — *133# and *134#. However, all services are embedded in these two codes making it easy to access each and every option. Nonetheless, let’s dive into what these codes offer beneath the main menu since *133# is mainly for data purchases as *134# serves the best Voice bundles in one root menu as Africell money racks at *144#.

*133#

*133# Option	Service
Option 1	mobile internet packages
Option 2	pay go services to activate roaming settings
Option 3	unlimited internet packages
Option 4	Happy Hour; buy a bundle at 500/- and use it for 1 hour from the time it is subscribed
Option 5	Happy night bundles from 12am to 6am
Option 6	paying OTT tax
Option 7	Reserved for the Special Wednesday bundle each week
Option 8	Triple data bundle package
Option 9	checking data balance
Option 10	purchasing the StarTimes bundle

*134#

*133# Option	Service
Option 1	Tokota Nnyoo for unlimited voice calls: Tokota Nyoo @500/- for 20 Minutes, 20MBs and 20SMSs valid for 24 hrs and Unlimited Tokata valid for 24 hrs.
Option 2	Paka Boom, special offer for every region in Uganda
Option 3	International Calls to most destinations
Option 4	Super Combo: calls, SMS and data at weekly, daily and monthly packages
Option 5	Ofwono Tooti; 30 minutes of calls at Shs500
Option 6	SMS bundles
Option 7	Supermix; data, voice and SMS bundles at different prices
Option 8	checking all the voice bundle balances

More Africell codes

*100# Main menu
*144# Africell Money
*131# Check Airtime credit
100 Customer Care
*133*6# OTT Tax

A breakdown of all Africell codes

SHORTCODE	FUNCTION
*100#	Main menu
*144#	Africell money
*133#	Internet bundles
*134#	Voice bundles
*131#	Check airtime balance
*133*6#	Pay OTT tax
100	Customer care line

Among the top Africell Money features, the ability to send and receive money is a top function with an added scribe of sending money to non-registered customers. Once sent, the receiving customer suffers no charges and tax on withdrawing.

Instead, the sending customer (registered) gets to clear withdraw charges when sending to a non-registered Africell customer. However, when sending to other networks (MTN, Airtel, UTL), charges are valid, and instant transfer is enabled as a default.

On top of sending and receiving, customers are also able to make Payments inclusive of Utility payments (DSTV, NSWC), PayTV, Taxes, then Goods and Services completing the Africell Money lineup.

How to use Africell Money

Unlike other Mobile money services that can be accessed using a single shortcode *185# or *165# for MTN, Airtel, and UTL customers. Africell Money can only be accessed using the telco’s *144# shortcode to access the main service menu.

So, to get started with sending and receiving money, you should dial *144# for the root menu which costs of sending, payments, my account among other options to get started.

Current Africell Money Rates

Africell Money Sending Rates

Africell Money Withdraw Rates

Africell Money Payment Charges

How about Mobile Money Tax?

Mobile Money tax of 0.5% of the total amount is applied on all withdraws as payable tax to URA. In case you wonder how much tax is charged on your cash withdraws, then, here is how it’s calculated.

• Received Amount: 50,000/=
• To Withdraw: Africell Money charges UGX 1,100 + 0.5% tax
• 0.5% of UGX 50,000 = UGX 250
• Total Withdraw Charges: Africell Money Charge UGX 1,100 + UGX 250 = 1,350/=
• So, your total withdraw Charge becomes UGX 1,350 to get UGX 50,000.

By Standard, the tax was first mounted as 1%, but with 0.5% now applicable on withdraws alone, the tax is affordable and in most cases, you may not realise the increase in charges.

Henceforth, with a low withdraw tax of 0.5%, you can choose to swiftly transfer money using Africell Money and face lower charges compared to other providers.

Nonetheless, Africell Money doesn’t have a wide chain of agents countrywide, but by the ecosystem standard, the telco is aiming at spreading its presence from not just towns, but also to remote rural areas.

How to activate Africell’s Don’t Be cheated Wednesday Data!

• Open Your Phone Dial Pad
• Dial *133#
• Select Option 7 (Don’t be cheated) to activate
• Confirm your airtime balance and buy your bundle

Just like that, Africell’s don’t be cheated Wednesday can be up for grabs on your smartphone every single Wednsaytd of the week. For instance today 3.2Gb goes for only 4,000/= similar to MTN’s Gaga Wednesday offer.