Telecoms giant, MTN Nigeria, on Tuesday announced it is extending its coverage to millions of Nigerians living in underserved and unserved communities across the country through a programme it calls “rural telephony”.
Today, more than 20 million Nigerians live in areas with limited or no coverage, MTN says it aims to change this statistic. Though the rural telephony programme kicked off this year, the company has identified over 3,000 locations across the country for a phased rollout, within three years.
MTN says 583 live rural sites have been installed across the country so far; more than half of these were installed in 2020 and they connect communities like Kurba, Agbiyi Umuede, Tobolo, Opaha, Tudun Faila, Oguru Uzo Uwani and Sarkin Kaya Rini. Going forward, MTN Nigeria plans to install more than 1,000 new sites every year in the next few years which will cover all the identified locations.
MTN Nigeria says it has been working with technology partners in order to achieve this ambitious goal. Certain infrastructure is being deployed that will accelerate connectivity and aid the consistent rollout of low-cost connectivity solutions in these areas that have non-existence or limited network coverage and broadband services.
Chief Operating Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mazen Mroue, said: “Our core belief is that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life. It is driven by an understanding of the potential impact of connectivity on the socio-economic outcomes of individuals, communities and the country as a whole. This belief drives our rural expansion goals and fuels our commitment to continue pushing until everyone is connected.”
MTN Nigeria said it will continue to make significant investments in expanding existing capacity and installing new technologies; thus, advancing digital inclusion.
The company also said as part of efforts to make life brighter and promote the arts, it sponsored a musical theatre performance by Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions titled ‘Oluronbi’. Oluronbi, an ancient Yoruba folktale, follows the life of a woman who promised to dedicate her first child as offering to the spirits who cured her barrenness. The musical featured eight performances in four days.