VEON and Engro Corporation Advance to Closing Pioneering Infrastructure Partnership in Pakistan Following Regulatory Approvals
May 23 2025 - 7:00AM
Islamabad and Dubai, May 23, 2025: VEON
Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator (“VEON” or “the
Company”), announces that it has now secured all regulatory
approvals for its strategic partnership with Engro Corporation
Limited (“Engro Corp”) for the pooling and management of
telecommunications infrastructure assets in Pakistan. The
partnership, initially announced on December 5, 2024, is expected
to enhance the efficiency of infrastructure and digital investments
in the country, in line with Pakistan’s digital ambitions.
Under the agreement, VEON’s infrastructure
assets housed under Deodar (Private) Limited, wholly owned by VEON
through its subsidiary Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited, will
vest into Engro Connect, an Engro Corp’s subsidiary, via a scheme
of arrangement. The companies have secured the necessary regulatory
approvals, including from the Competition Commission of Pakistan,
the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and the Islamabad High
Court. The scheme of arrangement and related settlements are
expected to be completed in June.
"This landmark agreement will accelerate Jazz’s
transformation into an asset-light services company, unlocking
further growth potential for both Jazz and Engro Corp in their
respective areas, and ultimately strengthening Pakistan’s digital
transformation. We are delighted to proceed in this collaboration
with Engro Corp, which will set the standard in terms of how
efficient infrastructure investments can drive digital growth in
frontier markets,” said Kaan Terzioglu, VEON Group CEO and
Chairman of Jazz Board.
“I am pleased to note that we are now
progressing to closing our pioneering infrastructure partnership
with Engro Corp. This marks a significant milestone in our
ServiceCo transformation. We will continue delivering world-class
digital solutions empowering millions of Pakistanis in an
asset-light model, while collaborating with Engro Corp, a trusted
leader, for the infrastructure layer,” said Aamir Ibrahim, Jazz
CEO.
“Prosperity and progress increasingly rely on
technology and connectivity – and with this milestone, Engro
strengthens its role as an enabler of Pakistan’s progress. This
investment reinforces telecom infrastructure as a key vertical for
us and we are keen on expanding access, empowering communities, and
future-proofing the infrastructure that will drive growth for
generations to come. This is a special moment for all of us at
Engro, as this is what we have always stood for: ENabling GROwth,”
said the CEO of Engro Holdings, Mr. Abdul Samad Dawood.
As part of the arrangement, Engro will pay Jazz
an amount of approximately USD 188 million and will guarantee the
repayment of Deodar’s intercompany debt in the amount of USD 375
million. VEON’s digital operator Jazz will continue to lease
Deodar’s extensive infrastructure for the provision of nationwide
mobile voice and data services under a long-term partnership
agreement.
About VEON
VEON is a Nasdaq-listed digital operator that
provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160
million customers. Operating across six countries that are
home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is
transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower
individuals and drive economic growth. For more information visit:
www.veon.com.
About Jazz
Jazz is Pakistan’s leading digital operator with
over 71.5 million cellular subscribers and 73 million MAUs of
digital services as of Q4 2024. Jazz offers the most extensive
portfolio of digital services in Pakistan, including JazzCash, the
country’s leading fintech; Garaj, the largest onshore cloud and
cybersecurity platform; and Tamasha, Pakistan’s largest homegrown
OTT video streaming and entertainment platform.
About Engro Corporation Limited
Engro Corporation is a diversified Pakistani
conglomerate that strives to solve pressing issues through its
portfolio of businesses. It has developed businesses across the
verticals of energy and related infrastructure, petrochemicals,
food and agriculture, telecommunication infrastructure, and
international trading, over a period of 50+ years. Many of these
pioneering businesses have been established in collaboration with
global partners including IFC, Royal Vopak, Royal FrieslandCampina,
CMEC and others. To learn more about Engro Corporation, please
visit www.engrocorporation.com.
Disclaimer
This release contains “forward-looking
statements”, as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S.
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking
statements are not historical facts, and include statements
relating to, among other things, VEON’s investment plans, digital
products, business plans and commercial partnerships.
Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and
uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and
some of which VEON might not even anticipate. The forward-looking
statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of
this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as
required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking
statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
VEONHande Asik Group Director of
Communicationspr@veon.com
ENGRO CORPORATIONAman HaqueVice-President, Corporate
Communicationcorpcomms@engro.com
VEON (NASDAQ:VEON)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2025 to Jul 2025
VEON (NASDAQ:VEON)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2024 to Jul 2025