Etisalat may unveil new brand identity, 9mobile, today as NCC confirms changes

Why we established 1,250 centres nationwide, by Commission
Embattled telecommunications firm, Etisalat Nigeria, has formally alerted its over 20 million subscribers to its new brand identity, 9mobile.

Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Boye Olusanya, yesterday formally alerted the industry and the economy as a whole to the new changes happening at the telecommunication firm.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has also formally been alerted of the name-change.

Director of Public Affairs at the commission, Tony Ojobo, told The Guardian that Etisalat had written formally to the regulator about the changes.

Olusanya, in a statement, disclosed that Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), which previously traded as ‘Etisalat Nigeria’, wishes to inform its over 20 million subscribers, government, regulatory agencies and all relevant stakeholder groups that the telecommunication company has changed its name to 9mobile “as a further testament of our unwavering commitment to ensuring business continuity.”

He said the new trading name, 9mobile, represents the company’s 0809ja heritage, “our 9ja-centricity, and our evolution over nine years of operations in Nigeria. Although our trading name has changed, we remain true to the same values on which our company was built.”

Olusanya said the firm would take a measured approach to the migration to the new brand over the next few months to ensure the change of name is delivered efficiently and responsibly.

Meanwhile, President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMs), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, has urged the new management to ensure good corporate governance is entrenched in the new system, stressing that good perception in terms of quality of service and tariffs Etisalat was known for, should not be rubbished or diminished on the new platform.”

In another development, the NCC has said that it established about 1,250 School Knowledge Centres (SKCs) across the six geo-political zones of the country to drive home knowledge and skills in Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to the grassroots.

NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, represented by Mr. Kelechi Nwankwo of the Strategy and Corporate Performance Monitoring Unit, stated this at a two-day ICT utilisation and sustainability sensitisation/training programme organised by the commission for South-East stakeholders in Enugu.

He said it was borne out of the need to improve experience of implementing partners, particularly managers of Community Resource Centres (CRCs), School Knowledge Centre Desk Officers and teachers as well as students on ICT penetration.

Also, Secretary to Enugu State Government, Gabriel Ajah, said the state government had embarked on the implementation of an ICT policy that envisaged a positive and prosperous future for the people through leveraging of various ICT tools and solutions to create wealth and improve service delivery.

Ajah said that the acquisition, adoption and application of ICT were even more imperative for developing countries and societies such as Nigeria where the battle against poverty, backwardness, unemployment and diseases continues to rage with increasing intensity.