VEON and Engro Corporation Advance to Closing Pioneering Infrastructure Partnership in Pakistan Following Regulatory Approvals
Rhea-AI Summary
VEON (NASDAQ: VEON) has secured all regulatory approvals for its strategic infrastructure partnership with Engro Corporation in Pakistan. The deal involves transferring VEON's infrastructure assets from Deodar to Engro Connect, Engro Corp's subsidiary. Under the agreement, Engro will pay $188 million to Jazz and guarantee Deodar's intercompany debt repayment of $375 million.
The partnership, initially announced in December 2024, received approvals from the Competition Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and Islamabad High Court. The arrangement is expected to complete in June 2025. Jazz will continue to lease Deodar's infrastructure for nationwide mobile services through a long-term partnership agreement, transforming into an asset-light services company.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- Transfer of infrastructure assets reduces VEON's direct control over network infrastructure
- Long-term lease dependency on Engro for infrastructure services
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, VEON declined 0.90%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
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
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.
VEON
Hande Asik
Group Director of Communications
pr@veon.com
ENGRO CORPORATION
Aman Haque
Vice-President, Corporate Communication
corpcomms@engro.com
FAQ
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