A lot seems to be happening in the telecommunications industry in recent times. These are developments that cannot pass unnoticed. Leading ICT and Data Company in Nigeria, MTN seem to be at the centre of it all.
Perhaps, more worthy of mention of all the issues in the sector is the world record N1.04trn fine that was slammed on the telecoms giant as punishment for breaching subscribers SIM registration directive set by the industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
While this development has generated a lot of furore in the media, drawing comments from experts as well as subscribers’ personal experiences, events in the past weeks have made it clear that the company is undaunted and relentless in achieving success in customer satisfaction.
Currently, MTN has embarked on the lingering issue of SIM registration and subscribers validation exercise. First, the exercise in itself is meant to help the country develop a robust database of the citizenry while also providing adequate information for NCC in monitoring developments in the sector effectively.
Prior, the MTN registration has been dogged with tales of frustration and over-crowded centres, thereby making customers revisit the centres to update their details. However, these tales are fast becoming a monotony that has lost its relevance or more appropriately, a fading line.
In a bid to permanently banish the ghost of the registration hullabaloo, MTN recently revamped its existing registration centres. Guided by the national interest objectives of the SIM registration exercise, MTN continues to make concerted efforts to ensure that customers’ details meet specific requirements while providing additional facilities for their comfort. The telecoms company decided to expand the service by creating new mega centres across the country.
For ease of access, some of the mega centres are located in Lagos-Oshodi, Festac, Ikeja, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki and Ipaja, Alimosho.
Others are located in Enugu, Aba, Owerri, Port-Harcourt, Warri, Calabar, Kano, Katsina, Jos, Bauchi, Abuja, and Kaduna.
The mega centres are designed to reduce the queues and facilitate a seamless registration process.
In the SIM registration exercise, MTN engaged its various ambassadors to further excite its subscribers. The ambassadors have embarked on special visits to these registration centres to interact with subscribers and undertake the process for them.
Mavin acts, Dr Sid and Tiwa Savage were among the various ambassadors making the trips. Both were celebrity attendants in Festac and Ikeja registration centres recently, much to the delight of surprised subscribers.
Nollywood comic act, Afeez Oyetoro aka Saka was not left out of the venture. He was in his usual comic best, providing entertainment and undertaking registration services for subscribers who thronged the centres in Ibadan and Abeokuta.
Subscribers at both venues were particularly excited when he announced he was going to be registering them himself. Expectedly, the move triggered a mild chaos that saw fans scramble for positions to be registered by the famed act. Saka ensured it was a worthwhile experience for subscribers present as he presented gift items to them; taking selfies with them as well.
Kcee was a guest attendant at the Warri centre recently where he undertook the same process for subscribers. In his usual charitable manner, he doled out cash gifts to subscribers whose birthday fell on the day.
Commenting on the exercise, General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge said that MTN is totally committed to the process and is making concerted efforts to ensure that every subscriber is adequately captured especially in a very relaxed atmosphere.
“We are well aware of the challenges our subscribers have encountered in this exercise and we want to bring an end to that. That is why we have revamped our existing centres and also created new ones. Our aim is to simplify the process and make it as seamless as possible,” he said.
A visit to the registration centres will reveal a significant change in process such that subscribers spend less time undertaking the exercise. As many as 100 youths have been recruited to register subscribers in each location which in effect hastens the process and create jobs for the youths.
Beyond the ingenious effort of making the SIM registration a simplified yet entertaining endeavour, a cursory look at the various endeavours of the ICT Company will reveal how it has widened its reach beyond telecoms services.
Successfully, MTN has ventured in various activities to support the lifestyle of the citizenry. Recently, the company revealed that it has invested over $15bn in the Nigeria economy. This sum covers various engagements and its various ventures since it berthed for business in Nigeria.
The entertainment sector alone has seen MTN invest as much as N500m with a large percentage of the amount covering for royalties and engagement fees for its various ambassadors.
Others have been vested into various sponsorships programs.
In sports, MTN has successfully woven itself into the fabric of the Polo game as each Polo season in the last 7 years have not gone without the backing of the telecoms giant.
The various tourneys have been sponsored repeatedly with the aim of raising the profile of the game among Nigerians.
Little wonder, President of the Nigerian Polo Federation, Francis Ogboro in the last season alongside many others hailed MTN for its enduring commitment to the game. According to him, it is a partnership that has yielded desired results.
“MTN has remained a reliable partner to us over the years and the NPF, along with the entire Nigerian Polo family are grateful to this wonderful company for this. Beyond developing the game, MTN’s sponsorship has helped engaged our youths positively. The support has been immense and we are proud that it has yielded positive fruits.
In the game of football, a similar story abounds with the MTN Football Scholars program that provides an opportunity for soccer prodigies to develop themselves outside the shores of the country.
The MTN Foundation that celebrated its 10th year anniversary last year received accolades from various quarters for its contribution to the development of the society. It has overseen as much as N31bn spent across the 36 states of the federation in CSR efforts.
Ernest Ndukwe, former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission and Chairman, Open Media Group, said that MTN Nigeria’s ability to separate the CSR platform from the core telecoms business deserves commendations and shows its commitment to impact lives for good and participation in developing the economy.
“For you to have a separate entity in charge of CSR initiative and participate in private-public partnership (PPP) projects simply show how interested the Company is in adding value to the society. MTN deserves commendations for that”, Ndukwe said.
With 2016 already rolling, MTN has said it is poised to do even more for Nigerians. An assertion made by Richard Iweanoge as the company hosted its customers to a dinner in celebration of a successful year last December.
If his words are anything to go by, MTN’s recent acquisition of Visafone then becomes a statement of intent. Ultimately, it represents a sign of things to come as the year unfolds.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
