Yemisi Izuora
South African multinational mobile telecommunications company, MTN, is reviewing its investment strategy in Nigeria which will see the telecommunications giant making a capital investment of $1.6 billion over the next three years to strengthen and expand its network and operations in Nigeria.
MTN made the announcement recently after its group chairman Mcebisi Jonas, MTN Nigeria chairman Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, group CEO Rob Shuter and MTN Nigeria CEO Ferdi Moolman met Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and key government officials.
“We are steadfast about our investments in Nigeria, particularly over the next three years as we aim to strengthen and expand our network and systems,” Jonas said.
“We are fully aligned with the strategic agenda of the Nigerian government and are committed to strengthening the digital economy of the country,” the statement said.
On his part, President Buhari said his government was committed to providing an enabling environment for businesses to succeed and also looking at ways to increase security across critical national infrastructure.
He applauded MTN’s support of Nigeria’s digital inclusion programmes and its commitment to growing the telecommunications industry across the region.
Commenting on the development, MTN’s Shuter said: “Financial inclusion and access to funding and digital services all become easier when our continent is powered by connectivity.
“The benefits of a connected continent are far reaching, making a positive impact across Africa. We cannot achieve this goal on our own, and are working on strengthening relationships with our key partners to extend access to comprehensive and affordable solutions to all.”
MTN operates in 17 African countries, with more than 200 million customers.