The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Airtel

  • Airtel, Uber seal internet deal

    Airtel, Uber seal internet deal

    Bharti Airtel and taxi hailing service Uber have announced a first-of-its-kind partnership in India, where riders across the country would now be able to pay for their trips using Airtel’s mobile wallet service — Airtel Money — while enjoying free high-speed internet powered by Airtel 4G.

    The service was launched in Mumbai today and it would soon be rolled out for Uber riders across the country.

    “You will be able to access free 4G internet, all cities, all riders, (there are) no exceptions. The service will be rolled out in a phased manner soon,” said Amit Jain, president of Uber India.

    “As part of the commercial agreement, Airtel will install Wi-Fi device in all its contract cars and will provide devices to its driver-partners. Additionally, Uber will accept money through Airtel Money as a mode of payment,” said Srini Gopalan, director, consumer business of Bharti Airtel.

    Apart from Airtel Money, Uber will continue to accept all modes of payments, including credit cards, debit cards, Paytm and cash.

    The US-based company has currently around 1,50,000 driver-partners across 18 cities. The taxi firm, which recently got close to $100-million investment from Tata group, is aiming a millionth ride by the end of March 2016.

    This integration will provide riders with another hassle-free payment option and will make Uber the first technology platform to officially launch Airtel Money. For a limited time, new Uber riders who top up their Airtel Money wallet will earn up to Rs 500 for free.

     

  • Airtel unveils Touching Lives Season 2

    Airtel has announced the commencement of the second edition of the initiative, which has been described by many as a ground-breaking approach to Corporate Social Investment.

    The initiative is focused on empowering, uplifting and creating life-changing opportunities for underprivileged individuals, communities and groups in the Nigerian society.

    Speaking in Ikoyi, Lagos, to mark the commencement of the second edition, its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said the telco is rolling out the second edition of the programme based on the monumental successes recorded with the first edition.

    According to him, Airtel went the length and breadth of the country, last year, scouting for people who needed help and for causes to support, noting that “the journey yielded great results as we touched the lives of many Nigerians.

    He also noted that the initiative marks a significant milestone in the company’s history of CSR interventions just as it perfectly aligns with the telco’s vision of connecting Nigerians to their dreams, enriching lives, uplifting people and creating prosperity for the people and communities we serve.

    “At Airtel, we believe that for us to be a great company we must be a good company and we are very much committed to earning our social license – the love and acceptance of the people we serve, “he said.

    The Season One of the Airtel Touching Lives featured 26 emotion-evoking stories, which brought to limelight the commitment and kind-heartedness of Airtel in uplifting the conditions of underprivileged people across the Nigerian society.

    The initiative is structured in a unique fashion that allows Nigerians to nominate disadvantaged persons who are in need of care or special interventions. Entries can be sent in via SMS, phone calls to the short code 947 or via email to:  touchinglives@ng.airtel.com.

    Also, nomination letters not more than 1000 words can also be submitted at Airtel Showrooms, shops and dealers’ outlets nationwide. Interested people can also go to Airtel Facebook page and Airtel CSR/Touching Lives web page for further information.

     

  • Airtel hits 30 million subscribers

    Airtel hits 30 million subscribers

    Telecommunications giant, Airtel, now boasts of no fewer than 30 million subscribers in Nigeria.

    With the milestone, the world’s third largest telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Africa and Asia said it has achieved 20 percent market penetration in the country.

    Making the announcement yesterday in Port Harcourt, Airtel Africa CEO Mr. Christian de Faria, stated that the company’s success was driven mainly by its reliable GSM network and stable internet growth from its residential and business segments.

    Faria said:  “According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the total number of mobile subscribers in the country has risen from 144 million in May 2015 to 146 million in June 2015.

    “In addition, Nigeria’s mobile operators added 2.1 million new subscribers in June 2015 with the subscriptions to fixed networks increasing from 181,625 in May 2015 to 182,643 within the same period.”

    Airtel Nigeria CEO and Managing Director, Segun Ogunsanya, said:  ”This achievement signals a major milestone in Airtel’s Africa growth story.

  • Airtel rehabilitates school in Kwara

    Airtel rehabilitates school in Kwara

    Telecoms firm, Airtel Nigeria Limited has rehabilitated a primary school, Iyeru-Okin, in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    Airtel Nigeria has earlier done a similar thing at Oremeji Primary School II, Ajegunle, Lagos Stata, St. John’s Primary School, Oke-Agbo in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, Community Primary School, Amumara, Imo State and Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba, Cross River State under its Adopt-a-School Programme.

    Speaking during the commissioning of the newly transformed Iyeru-Okin Primary School, the Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria Ltd, Segun Ogunsanya said under the company will adopt government-owned schools in rural and semi-urban communities for rehabilitation or rebuilding.

    Represented by Chief Sales Officer Godfrey Efhebor, Mr. Ogunsanya said that is embarking on the programme as part of its corporate social responsibility or CRS.

    He said, “We are pleased to partner your government and indeed the people of Nigeria to participate in the area of primary education for the undeserved rural poor; education, to us, is the bedrock of development of the nation and the best place to start is the formative stage of children.

    “Nigerian government has taken various initiatives in this direction but has often not reached the poorest section of the society.”

    Airtel managing director added that has brought notable transformation to these schools by providing ultra-modern blocks of classrooms, borehole, furniture and provision of uniforms, bags and educational materials on an annual basis.

    His words: “Last year hundreds of pupils and teachers benefited from Airtel free eye screening exercises conducted in the adopted schools. In addition to this, several teachers in the schools have been trained by Airtel in collaboration with state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) of the various states.

    “It is pertinent to add here that we have not just come to upgrade infrastructure and go away, but we will continue to support the adopted school on a long-term basis. It is certain that government alone cannot bring about the change we all are craving for, but we know that an enabling environment is necessary for change to happen.

    “We are hopeful that this project will add value to the lives of the children of Iyeru-Okin community, and who knows we may be providing classrooms for the grooming of future employees of Airtel Nigeria.

    “I will request the government to keep supporting our efforts as we strive to contribute our quota to making Nigeria a better place. Specifically, we want to urge the community members to help protect the facilities from hoodlums and vandals.”

    In a remark, the state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said the Airtel’s gesture deserves commendation and applause.

    The governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Lamidi Alabi said that “the project represents a contribution to our educational development through corporate social responsibility intervention. We are therefore grateful to board, management and staff of Airtel for initiating and completing this project.

    “While soliciting similar intervention to other schools across the state, I urge other organizations to emulate Airtel and give back to the communities in which it operates.

    I understand that Airtel has upgraded three blocks of classrooms and equipped with white box, chairs and tables. Further the company is providing uniforms and school bags for 400 pupils including other support infrastructure materials.

    “Doing so will not only be pragmatic, it will also create significant goodwill for such communities and the companies. On our part we remain committed to promoting the security and welfare of the people through targeted social and physical infrastructure. We are also implementing policies to stimulate economic activities and attract investment inflow as pathway for people’s economic empowerment.

    “In line with this determination, I will soon outline our strategic programmes for the socio-economic and infrastructural development of our state.”

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of SUBEB, Dr. Musa Dasuki said the programme would touch the lives of many in Offa and humanity at large.

    Dr. Dasuki, who was represented by Direct of Planning, Research and Statistics in the board, Raudat Yusuf said the project comprises the renovation of three blocks of eight classrooms, three offices; installation of lightings and ceiling fans; construction of borehole with an overhead tank; provision of 43 sets of table for the pupils; eight set of tables for teachers; 400 school uniforms and 400 school bags for pupils.

  • Orange goes for Airtel’s assets

    Orange goes for Airtel’s assets

    • Airtel: no plans to quit Africa

    French operator Orange has said it is in talks to buy Bharti Airtel’s subsidiaries in Africa, fuelling speculation that this might be Bharti’s first step towards a complete sale of its African business.

    But in a swift reaction, the Indian cellphone biggest carrier, said yesterday it had no plans to exit Africa, despite beginning exclusive talks with Orange to sell four of its units there. “We remain fully committed to our Africa operations and will continue to invest in its growth and building a profitable business and accordingly have no plan to exit,” the company said in a statement yesterday in response to a query from Reuters.

    On 9 June 2010, billionaire Sunil Mittal spent $9 billion to become a global firm. It bought Kuwait-based Zain Group’s telecom assets in 15 countries in Africa, the next big frontier for growth for Asia’s successful entrepreneurs. It took on $8.5 billion in debt to fund its ambitions. Five years later, the company is yet to declare any profits or meet any of its growth targets.

    Airtel had big plans for Africa—a target of 100 million subscribers, up from 42 million at the time of acquisition, $5 billion in revenue, up from $3.6 billion, and $2 billion of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) which is a measure of a firm’s profitability.  By March 2013, less than three years  after the acquisition, long-time lieutenant of Mital, Manoj Kohli moved to Nigeria to head the new business.

    But it has never met these targets and now it looks like Bharti may have bitten off more than it could chew.

  • Airtel, PMAN sign multiple MOU

    Airtel, PMAN sign multiple MOU

    THE Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in its new drive to bounce back after decades of leadership tussle, has entered a series of agreement with Airtel Nigeria, aimed at creating a more structured and rewarding entertainment industry.

    The partnership which was signed on Monday, June 29, is expected to provide an opportunity for registered members of the association to access telecommunications solutions and services at affordable rates

    Airtel, as part of the deal, will provide Closed User Group (CUG) lines to members of PMAN which will grant them unlimited talk time with significant cost savings.

    The company will also provide support to PMAN towards the association’s initiatives which consists the sensitization of the public on registration and anti-piracy related issues. Some of the mediums to be utilized include television commercials, radio, prints, blogs and tours to promote registration.

    Speaking during the signing ceremony, Director, Enterprise Business at Airtel Nigeria, Ms. Tawa Bolarin, said Airtel’s strategic alliance with PMAN is in line with its unwavering commitment to promote entertainment, creativity and the arts in Nigeria through technology.

    According to her, “Airtel supports PMAN in its visionary initiative to revolutionize the Nigerian music industry; a very honorable vision to create a much credible platform for Nigerian artistes and performers that need support,”

    She noted that the partnership will further empower members of the association with innovative, relevant and affordable mobile solutions to help them fulfill their communication potentials.

    Also speaking at the event, the President of PMAN, Mr. Pretty Okafor revealed that the association was focused on uplifting the standard of living for all Nigerian musicians and also contributing to the country’s GDP and putting Nigerian music on the world map.

    The initiative seeks to ensure that there is efficient identification and registration measures put in place for of each member of PMAN, through its Bio-metric Card Scheme that allows registered members to secure and protect their income and benefits. The card also functions as a debit card and comes with an accident and life insurance cover

    In the long run, the biometric card project will also make it possible to tackle other critical areas, such as fighting piracy as well as ensuring that artistes generate revenue and sustainable income from content and music in form of royalty fees.

    The ceremony was attended by Director, Legal Affairs, Airtel Nigeria, GbengaRotimi; General Manager, Enterprise Sales, Airtel Nigeria Bukola Akande; Head of PR, Airtel Nigeria, Adefemi Adeniran; PMAN President, Mr. Pretty Okafor,1st Vice President, PMAN, Sunny Nneji, 2nd Vice President, PMAN, Baba Dee, Rugged Man, Felix Duke,actor Dele Odule, ZaakyAzzay and Kazeem Popoola.

  • Airtel, UNICEF invest in social marketing

    UNITED Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and Airtel Nigeria have entered an agreement  to deepen their social cause marketing investment in communities across the country.

    The deal allows UNICEF to tap into Airtel’s mobile services to make health, education, child protection and community-focused content available to Airtel customers across the country.

    Accordingly, the partnership is expected to increase access to social change related information and provide opportunities for participation whilst pushing forward U-Report, an innovative project supported by UNICEF.

    U-Report, an innovative SMS-based platform, empowers Nigerians to participate and engage in policy-making and governance and to access real time information on key social issues.

    The platform, which was launched in Nigeria in April, has over 400,000 registered users, making Nigeria the leading U-Report platform globally, among 16 other countries.

    The Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said the company is committed to empowering Nigerians and is keen on supporting programmes that will enrich the lives of its various stakeholders.

    The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough, said UNICEF is committed to providing innovative solutions towards better delivery of services and social change.

    He said the partnership can empower millions of Nigerians through access to information and  opportunities to help them transform their societies.

  • Why we celebrated our channel partners, by Airtel boss

    Airtel’s Channel partners have contributed to the success of the telco,  Managing Director,  Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, has said.

    Speaking at an event to celebrate the telco’s trade partners, Ogunsanya praised them for their commitment and loyalty in the financial year.

    The event, with the theme Winning customers for life partnership attracted over 70 Airtel Channel Partners from across the country. It featured special musical and comedy performances from top Nigerian artiste, Tubaba and comedian, Akpororo.

    Acknowledging the roles played by the partners in Airtel’s brand growth over the years, Ogunsanya said: “We thank all our Channel Partners for demonstrating exceptional zeal towards the achievement of the business objectives of our company. As partners in progress, they have contributed immensely to our success and fulfillment of promises made by the Airtel Nigeria to its teeming customers.

    “There is no doubt that our highly esteemed Channel Partners deserve to be acknowledged and commended for the effort they have invested into their businesses and the drive they have shown towards the success of this brand. It stands to reason that we offer you a warm handshake and encourage you to keep partnering with us to deliver better results.”

    He described Airtel’s partnership with its channel partners as a winning partnership rooted in shared interest to enrich the lives of Nigerians, shared values that reinforce people empowerment and innova-tiveness, and most importantly, a shared passion to win customers for life.

    He assured them that Airtel Nigeria would continue to provide support where needed and increase its investment in network quality and performance.

    “We will continue to invest in the expansion of our network and the enhancement of quality of service. Also, we are continuously evolving with innovative new products to offer telecoms consumers across the country with bespoke, world class mobile solutions that will enrich their lives and empower them to realise their full potential,” said Ogunsanya.

    Akwa Ibom-based Channel Partner, Mr. Unyime Idem, who is Managing Director, Idems Ultimate Ltd, won the CEO’s Award for Excellence and the grand prize of a 2015 Mercedes Benz GL 450, while another Channel Partner, Chief Ogoeze Nwabueze, the Managing Director of C&N Abuson Investments Ltd, won a 2015 Toyota Landcruiser for emerging as the National Primary Sales Champion.

    Prizes presented to other winners included brand new Toyota Hiace buses, generators, laser jet printers, Shop on Wheels, mobile tabs and a 2015 Hyundai Elantra donated by Zenith Bank, one of the sponsors of the raffle draw.

    Some of the top executives of the company who graced the occasion were Godfrey Efeurhobo, Chief Sales Officer; Maurice Newa, Chief Commercial Officer; Krishna Menon, Chief Finance Officer; Gbenga Rotimi, Director, Legal; Gbemiga Owolabi, Director, HR and Tenu Awoonor, Director, Strategy & Performance Management.

     

  • Airtel unveils smartTALK, N1m daily promo

    Airtel unveils smartTALK, N1m daily promo

    Airtel Nigeria, has launched smartTALK, a voice based product that offers Nigerians 11 kobo per second call rate to all networks in the country all day and all night.

    It said it is in line with its vision of enriching and adding value to the lives of customers through the provision of exceptional experience.

    The telco also unveiled a new promo it said is targeted at changing the levels of its customers across the country.

    Chief Executive Officer of the telco, Segun Ogunsanya who spoke in Lagos during the launch said effective from now, all a subscriber needed to do was to buy airtime, load it and make calls, adding that the person may be the winner of N1million that has been put on the table for the next sixty days.

    Ogunsanya said the telco earmarked the N60million daily start prize along side other cash and gift items to reward the loyal customers of the firm. He recalled that the man who won the Land Rover was just a truck driver who never believed when he was called to come and pick the car, adding that the firm will continue to explore ways of rewarding c4st60ers.

    Unveiling the smartTALK product, Airtel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Maurice Newa, explained that the new package reiterates the telco’s commitment to continually provide customers with a variety of products aimed at helping them stay connected to their families and friends at affordable rates.

    He said: “We are aware of the role communication plays in our world and we realize the need for people to constantly communicate with others within their circles, this is the reason we have created this product to keep our customers connected at an affordable price”.

    Newa noted that smartTALK will not only help deepen friendship and family ties but will also help foster better relationships amongst Nigerians.  “At just 11k per second, customers can talk to anyone in Nigeria for as long as they wish,” he said.

    He also stated that Airtel will continually try to not only meet but exceed the expectations of its teeming customers by providing them with value for money products and services.

  • Airtel unveils 2Face, Patoranking, Phyno, others as ambassadors

    Airtel unveils 2Face, Patoranking, Phyno, others as ambassadors

    Telecommunication giant, Airtel Nigeria, last Thursday unveiled Hip-hop icon, 2Face Idibia; Rap sensation, Phyno; Dancehall artiste, Patoranking; fast-rising comedian, Akpororo and renowned On-Air-Personality, IK Osakioduwa as brand ambassadors.

    The celebrities were presented to the public at a star-studded event tagged ‘The Icon”. The event held at the prestigious MUSON centre, Onikan, Lagos.

    While addressing the gathering, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, stated that the new Airtel brand ambassadors were selected due to their fine image, sound characters and achievements in their various fields.

    He said: “We have carefully selected ambassadors who embody the values, character and overall image inherent to the Airtel brand, therefore making them a perfect fit for further endearing Airtel to millions of Nigerians whilst strengthening the relationship we have with our customers.”

    Ogunsanya also noted that the appointment of enterprising and talented Nigerians as brand ambassadors is in line with Airtel’s commitment to delivering value and rewarding excellence.

    He noted that all the ambassadors have recorded monumental successes in their respective fields. 2Face Idibia is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most popular musicians and has received numerous awards, including the Headies, KORA, MOBO, Channel O Music Awards and MAMAs. He is also engaged in a number of CSR activities as an artiste.

    IK Osakioduwa, an accomplished Presenter is a six-time host of the celebrated reality TV show, Big Brother Africa and has been rated among the top three most influential young people in Nigeria. He was also recognised by the Future Awards as the ‘Best On-Air Personality.’

    Patoranking, the reggae dancehall singer won the coveted Next Rated Award at the 2014 Headies, while just recently, he was named the Best African Act at the 2015 Ghana Music Awards.

    Fast-rising comedian, Akpororo, is regarded as someone with very strong work ethic and his passion for comedy has earned him so many accolades. He also sponsors a football competition as a way of supporting talented youths in his community.

    Phyno, is known for rapping in Igbo language, and has also earned several awards including the Headies, for Best Collaboration in 2013 and Best Rap Single in 2014.

    Airtel Nigeria has been a prominent contributor to entertainment and Arts in Nigeria, having   sponsored some of the favorite TV series, including Tinsel, Before 30 and Desperate Housewife Africa.