(Telecompaper) Zain Group announced net profit of USD 685 million on revenues of USD 4.3 billion in 2014. Zain served 44.3 million customers at the end of the period, reflecting a 4 percent decline year-on-year. The group said the decline in customers was due a new definition of "active customer" implemented by the regulator in Iraq and a new registration policy implemented by Sudan's regulator. Profit was also affected by the political instability in Iraq during the second half of 2014, which resulted in frequent network interruptions and associated higher network operational costs. EBITDA for the period reached USD 1.8 billion, giving an EBITDA margin of 41.8 percent. Excluding currency effects, net profit would have been relatively stable for the year. The board recommended a cash dividend of USD 0.14 per share. For the fourth quarter of 2014, Zain recorded revenues of USD 1.0 billion, EBITDA at USD 406 million, an EBITDA margin of 40.4 percent and net profit of USD 115 million. Group chairman Asaad Al Banwan said that despite geo-political challenges and unavoidable currency issues in several markets, the board remains confident that management is implementing the right strategy in driving the business forward.