Tag: 9Mobile

Stakeholders in the telecom industry have welcome the acquisition of 95.5 per cent shareholding in 9mobile, saying it is good, not only for the industry but also for the country.

The stakeholders, including Association of Licensed Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) and Association of Telephone, Cable Tv and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS-Nigeria) say the coming of the British firm will help deepen competition in the industry which will be nice for customer experience.

While welcoming the British entity into the country, they urged the new management to turn the company around, adding that opportunities still existed for the company to reclaim its lost grounds.

ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, hailed the development as healthy for the industry. Though he said he was not speaking specifically to the LH Telecommunication Limited deal with 9mobile because he does not have details, he said any new investment in the telecom sector is a welcome development because that is what the sector needs right now.

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“Whatever FID (foreign direct investment) that comes into the sector is good for its health. It’s good for the growth of broadband and we assure them (investors) of our support,” he said, adding that any investment from industry perspective is welcome because it is a sign that the international community still has confidence in the country and in the industry.

He said new investment will dovetail into broadband expansion and its attendant multiplier effect on the economy. “It will lead to national broadband growth and economic growth,” Adebayo said.

President of NATCOMS, Deolu Ogunbanjo, said it marked a turning point for the telco which has been undergoing fortune reversal over the years.

He said it is particularly interesting that the investors are coming from outside the telecom sector, saying the greatest fear was the emergence of an oligopolistic behemoth in the industry.

“It’s a good thing for the industry, particularly for 9mobile that has been struggling and gasping for breath for quite some time now. We are happy that it is a British entity that is investing in the telecom company,” he said.

On expectations from the new investors, Ogunbanjo said the acquisition will naturally come with cash investment into the telco. With more funds, the company will be able to expand its infrastructure and improve service quality in data and voice. “With more funds will come improved service offerings which will deepen industry competition. We expect voice calls and data to be offered at competitive rates,” he said.

Like Ogunbanjo, the ATCIS-Nigeria President, Sina Bilesanmi, said since the transaction has sailed through the regulatory crucible of both the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), it is assumed that due diligence has been carried out on the transaction both technically and financially.

“We are excited about the development because it will broaden the choice of our members. Though we don’t know the pedigree of the company, we believe that British companies are reputed with high efficiency standards in their operations. We therefore expect the company to replicate the same in Nigeria. We expect top notch service offering; we expect better customer relations because industry associations that are not consumer-led, cannot speak for us. We welcome LH Telecommunication Limited to Nigeria,“ Bilesanmi said.

A subscriber, Lucia Chuks, expressed hope that the new investors would change the company’s service quality.

“I use 9mobile. I have a special affection for the telco. But getting services has been a nightmare. There are weeks that I do not get a signal on my phone. “Emergency calls only” is what I get on the phone. I was asked to switch off and on the phone, I discovered that each time I do it, I get the same result. My husband asked me to dump or port the SIM but I refused to do so. It’s that type of affection you have for your old car that you don’t want to let go. I hope the new people will change the dynamics so that subscribers can be happy again,” she said.

• Telco apologises over service outage

The identities of the new investors in Nigeria’s 9mobile remain very unclear. A British company, LH Telecommunication Limited, had acquired 95 per cent of the telecoms company.

A thorough internet search for the company led to GOV.UK. It showed that a company that bore a similar name but with NE was dissolved on August 4, 2015.

A file copy of Certificate of Incorporation of a Private Limited Company seen on the internet, read: “The Registrar of Companies for England and Wales hereby certifies that LH Telecom (NE) Limited is this day incorporated under the Companies Act 2006 as a private company, that the company has shares, and the situation of its registered office is in England and Wales. The certificate numbered 08560520 was given at Companies House, Cardiff on 7 June, 2013.”

Efforts to speak to Communication Lead at 9mobile, Chineze Amanfo, were futile as calls made to her mobile number failed to connect.

The NCC and FCCPC had approved the transaction underscoring the fact that due diligence had been conducted on the company.

The management of the company has apologised for it network outage which been  on for almost four days now.

Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Reuben Muoka, didn’t pick his call.

In a statement, the telco said its management would like to extend its profound apologies to “our valued customers for the recent service disruption experienced in parts of the country which is as result of multiple fiber cuts and damages to our network infrastructure in some parts of the country.

“As a business, we understand the frustration and inconvenience that this disruption has caused to connectivity and communication for our customers. We feel your pain and know what the disruption means for you.

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“As a business, we do not take your brand loyalty for granted. You have been with us through our darkest hours in business, and our sunshine years are here now.  Satisfying you with quality service remains a significant pillar of the brand experience we want you to have with us.

“We have set up a Virtual Situation Room between management and the technical team to enable us to take situation reports from different locations realtime in a hands-on approach to ensure complete service restoration to our esteemed customers.

“We like to note that service has been restored to most areas, and our technical teams are working round the clock to ensure outstanding issues are swiftly resolved and the quality of service sustained. We are confident that they will complete the task soonest.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time, and we remain committed to delivering the high-quality service that you desire and deserve from 9mobile. Be assured that the excellent connectivity that enables you to do all you want to do is the commitment of our new leadership,” the statement read.

Nine mobile have partnered Microsoft to host a capacity-building session for journalists aimed at empowering them with innovative tools to improve their skills for maximum performance in their field.  The learning session held at Microsoft Africa Development Center had in attendance media partners from print and online platforms and publications.

The training session provided a platform to introduce journalists to the benefits of Microsoft Copilot and its potential to revolutionize the profession. Microsoft Copilot is an advanced AI-powered tool which offers a wide array of functionalities designed to streamline workflow, enhance productivity, and elevate the quality of their output. Through this partnership, 9mobile and Microsoft sought to equip journalists with the skills and knowledge necessary to leverage Copilot effectively in their day-to-day work.

Speaking at the training session, PR Lead, 9mobile, Chineze Amanfo, expressed her enthusiasm and satisfaction with the session, emphasizing the company’s commitment to fostering innovation and empowerment within the media industry.

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She said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Microsoft in providing this invaluable training opportunity for journalists. At 9mobile, we recognize the pivotal role that the media plays in shaping public discourse and driving societal change. Therefore, equipping them with the requisite knowledge and tools such as the Microsoft Copilot, will enhance their capability to deliver on their respective assignments efficiently by disseminating accurate and impactful information to the public.

“We prioritize our relationship with the media hence, the need for the periodic capacity building session for journalists. With this training, we have clearly demonstrated our unwavering commitment to sustaining the initiative. We will continue to explore new avenues for collaboration and innovation, ensuring that our partners in the media industry have access to the tools and resources they need to thrive.”

The Senior Business Programme Manager, Marketing Communications, Microsoft Africa Development Center, Yemi Orimolade, appreciated the participants for their contributions in making the session an engaging experience and enjoined them to champion the message of AI responsibility.

He said: “Microsoft’s Copilot is poised to be a game-changer for journalists. It is a reliable tool for generating and optimising content, staying informed, and enhancing productivity. Our commitment is to harness the transformative potential of AI for societal betterment. Welcome to the future of journalism, working smarter with Microsoft Copilot.”

The capacity-building session received an overwhelmingly positive response from participants, who lauded the practical insights and demos provided. Attendees expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to familiarize themselves with a tool as powerful and versatile as Microsoft Copilot, acknowledging its potential to revolutionize their workflow and enhance their journalistic endeavors.

With the successful hosting of the capacity-building session, 9mobile and Microsoft look forward to more areas of sustained collaboration to drive positive change and innovation within media ecosystem in Nigeria.

Service provider 9MOBILE has urged its subscribers who have not linked their subscriber identity module (SIM) cards with their National Identity Number (NIN) to carry out the exercise on or before tomorrow, to avoid disconnection from the network.

Customers who do not comply with this directive will be unable to make or receive calls, have no access to the internet, no SMS, no one time password (OTP), and no bank alerts.

Director, Customer Care at 9mobile, Ehimare Omoike, who gave the advice, said it was was in line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The Commission had in December 2023 directed that all telephone subscribers must have their NIN linked on their operator’s network to verify the identity of the phone users and minimise the criminal use of network services. At the moment, more than 35 per cent of subscribers’ lines are yet to be linked to their NIN, forcing authorities to issue a deadline.

Ehimare noted that customers whose mobile lines are not linked to their NIN will be disconnected from all telecommunication service of the network.

“Your line will be disconnected when you do not link your SIM to your NIN. The implication here is that as a subscriber on 9mobile network, you will be completely shut out from access to the virtual world and you will be greatly inconvenienced. We therefore urge all our valued subscribers to endeavour to link their mobile lines with their NIN before February 28, 2024, to keep enjoying endless and seamless value offerings that enhance their lifestyle from 9mobile,” he said.

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He advised 9mobile subscribers to go and link their line now by visiting any 9mobile outlets for instant linking of their lines, or visit https://9mobile.com.ng/experience-centres to check the nearest 9mobile experience centers.

It will be recalled that the compulsory registration by Nigerians of the National Identity Number (NIN) and the subsequent linkage of the NIN to their Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards is a policy by the Federal Government through the NCC to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process and consolidate the achievements of the SIM registration exercise of 2019. The long-term goal of this initiative is to attain a widespread digital identity database and improve security in Nigeria.

The linking involves validating the NIN with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and matching the subscriber’s NIN records with the SIM registration information (verification) to ensure proper subscriber identification.