VEON's Banglalink Launches Digital Services Marketplace 'AppLink'

Customers and Developers to Benefit from New Digital Ecosystem

Amsterdam, 11th April 2022 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator that provides mobile connectivity and services, today announces that Banglalink, its mobile operator in Bangladesh, has launched AppLink, a digital services marketplace aimed at connecting Banglalink customers with local developers. It provides customers with convenient purchase facilities and offers new earning opportunities for developers.
AppLink provides a streamlined approach for local developers to make apps available for download by Banglalink customers and gives them a convenient way to monetize their apps while following local regulations. Local developers will be provided with online tools to present and monetize their apps, with published apps sorted into different categories such as health, education, sports, agriculture, public service, entertainment, and business. Banglalink customers will be able to purchase apps through their mobile balance.
"Innovation is at the core of our digital operator strategy. Nowhere is that more evident than in Bangladesh, a market with enormous potential that is undergoing a digital transformation," states Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON Group. "We serve markets with 680 million people across nine operators with 220 million customers and, through local initiatives such as AppLink, contribute to the development of countries' digital economies." With over 4,500 software companies and more than 300,000 ICT specialists and software developers in Bangladesh¹ , AppLink will provide a marketplace for the country's technology talent, including a strong community of young developers, to Banglalink's 13 million smartphone users Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP, Bangladesh's Honourable State Minister, ICT Division, stated: "Banglalink is known for taking exemplary digital initiatives for the country's youth. This time, it has created a digital platform that will encourage young developers to deliver apps for our local market. This is an example of how large corporate organisations can contribute to the growth of our IT sector by empowering young professionals."
Banglalink's AppLink mirrors other developments by VEON mobile operators to bring innovative digital services to mobile users. These include Toffee, a highly successful entertainment application launched in 2019 that is now used by 6.4 million people in Bangladesh; Health Hub, a recently launched digital health aggregator platform within Banglalink's self-care app; and JazzCash, VEON's mobile banking service in Pakistan that has 15.2 million customers²

¹Source: Dcastalia
²customer numbers as of 31st December 2021

About Banglalink

Banglalink is one of the leading digital communications service providers in Bangladesh, working to unlock new opportunities for its customers as they navigate the digital world. Driven by the vision of transforming lives through technology, Banglalink also strives to be a future-ready service provider capable of meeting the demands of the new digital era. It is a subsidiary of VEON Ltd - a Nasdaq and Euronext listed connectivity provider headquartered in the Netherlands.

About VEON

VEON is a NASDAQ and Euronext Amsterdam-listed global provider of connectivity and digital services. Our companies are transforming lifestyles through technology-driven services that empower opportunity in some of the world's fastest-growing emerging markets. Veon operates in nine countries serving 220 customers over a population of 680 million people, with an independent board, an international management team and no controlling shareholder. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.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, certain digital services and applications being launched. 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.

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