TNM launches pay-as-you-need mobile bundles: Mixit SuperFlex targets affordability gap in Malawi

TNM plc, one of two telecommunications operators listed on Malawi’s 17-counter stock exchange, has launched Mixit SuperFlex, a product allowing customers to construct their own mobile bundles rather than purchasing fixed packages of data, voice and SMS.

Speaking at the product’s launch in Blantyre, chief executive Michel Hébert positioned the offering as a response to long-standing customer frustration with bundled pricing structures that force consumers to pay for services they do not use.

“Our Malawian customers have said they don’t want to waste money on bundles that include unnecessary SMS or minutes. Today, we have changed that,” he said.

The product allows subscribers to select the precise quantity of data or minutes they require, down to relatively small denominations.

“If you only have K600, you can get exactly what you need for that amount,” Hébert said, adding that the product had been developed by a Malawian youth.

The launch reflects a broader trend among telecoms operators in frontier markets toward more granular, low-denomination pricing, aimed at capturing revenue from price-sensitive consumers who might otherwise ration or forgo mobile services altogether.

For TNM, the move also comes as the company – alongside rival Airtel Malawi, the country’s other listed telecoms stock – continues to compete for market share in a sector where affordability remains a central determinant of customer acquisition and retention.