Saleh Al Abdooli highlighted Etisalat’s flexibility in responding to telecom sector developments across its markets, as revenue and profit fell year-on-year during its second quarter.

For the three months to the end of June, the Middle East-headquartered operator reported profit after federal royalty of AED2 billion ($544 million), down 15 per cent from AED2.3 billion in the same period in 2016. Revenue across its operations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia reached AED12.8 billion, down 3.8 per cent year on year.

The company saw a number of operational changes during the quarter, including its exit from Nigeria following its well-publicised issues in the country.

Al Abdooli (pictured) said its performance reaffirmed its “strong position and demonstrates our flexible strategy in adapting to the developments and changes in the telecom sector”.

“Etisalat group’s geographic footprint expands across the Middle East, Africa and Asia witnessing various opportunities and challenges in each market that are governed by specific economic conditions,” he said.

“Some of these markets witnessed macroeconomic challenges that imposed limitations on investments and future growth. Etisalat responded with confidence overcoming these challenges while maintaining a sustainable business portfolio.”

Chairman Eissa Mohamed Al Suwaidi added: “Etisalat Group showcased agility in the first half of this year adapting to the changes in the telecom industry, while the period revealed promising opportunities for growth in telecom and digital services and we also proved our strong position by dynamically managing challenges in some international markets.”