YOMO Launches in Soweto to Reimagine Connectivity as Opportunity for South African Youth

TechNov8, a subsidiary of BLU (formerly Blu Label Telecoms), has officially launched YOMO, South Africa’s first youth-focused Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) built to connect young South Africans to opportunity. The launch took place on Monday, 01 September 2025, at the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum in Soweto, an iconic venue that embodies resilience and the potential of the nation’s youth.

The event brought together an audience of young people, stakeholders, community leaders, employers, investors, policymakers, media, and civil society organisations. South Africa faces a pressing challenge, with nearly 47% of its youth unemployed. YOMO seeks to respond by reframing connectivity as more than just data. It positions mobile access as a gateway to opportunity through skills development, employment opportunities, gig work, entrepreneurship, wellbeing and financial inclusion.

At its core, YOMO offers affordable, reliable connectivity coupled with the yomo-verse: a zero-rated digital platform providing access to skills training, gig opportunities, financial literacy tools, wellness resources, and civic engagement initiatives.

With this bold mission, YOMO aims to connect one million young South Africans to pathways that drive personal growth and economic empowerment.

“YOMO is built on a simple belief: when young people are connected, they are unstoppable, ” said Jose Andre, CEO of Technov8. “This is about more than data; it is about unlocking ambition, creativity, and progress for South Africa’s youth.”

Ike Makae, CEO of YouthLife, emphasised the importance of ensuring that young people have access to data:”When we look back five, ten, or fifteen years from now, the question will be: What did you do with what we gave you? Data access is key to economic development in South Africa. It unlocks opportunities in the digital economy, enables entrepreneurship, and drives innovation. It also helps tackle unemployment by opening pathways to training and digital services. Access to data must be affordable, especially because young people are its primary consumers.”

Ndumiso Kubheka, CEO of NYDA, explained that through YOMO the goal is to give all young people a fair chance to participate in the economy:

“By connecting young people to affordable mobile services, YOMO is not only bridging the digital divide, it is building digital bridges to education, employment, entrepreneurship, and civic participation. Our vision is one economy and one future. At the NYDA, we are working tirelessly to ensure that youth in rural areas are not left behind. Our 2025–2030 strategic plan commits to three priorities: mainstreaming youth issues across all sectors of the economy, strengthening ecosystems that identify, train, and place young talent, and expanding access to entrepreneurship. Inclusion is not just a moral obligation, it is an economic strategy.”