The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MTN

  • ‘My foray into philanthrophy’

    ‘My foray into philanthrophy’

    Praise Adejo’s, aka Praiz, unique singing style caught the eyes of many in a TV reality show in which he thrilled viewers in the country and beyond. He was judged as the second runner up as he exhibited great potentials. Few years later, the R&B star who has rubbed shoulders with who’s who in the Nigerian music industry donated N10m to save a baby with a hole in the heart through his caller tune. The MTN brand ambassador tells Adetutu Audu he is glad he is making positive impact with his music.

    WHAT made you save baby Sumaya?

    It was out of goodwill and an act of giving back to the society. I also believe in making impact through my music and in everything I do.

    The caller tune you used was Oshe. What inspired the song? Or was it that you did it having in mind that you wanted to use it to raise fund?

    I did not record it with the mind of raising fund. 2013 was a great year for me, and I wanted to say ‘thank you’ with a happy song. I recorded Oshe with Awilo Logomba and I had an interview at Star FM with Moyo Oyatogun, where I went to promote my songs and the caller tune basically. After I was through, Moyo approached me on this project she was handling. She wanted me to do an awareness song for a baby with a hole in her heart. I went back home and promised to get back to her. Later, I felt even if I recorded a song, what we needed was fund. So I decided that from a particular time to a particular time, the proceeds I get from the caller tune, I will give it the baby. And by God’s grace, we were able to raise N10million.

    Initially, did you envisage any fear that it might not work?

    The kind of person I am, I like to be positive-minded; I am an optimistic person. I just felt that any amount raised would be given to the baby.

    Would you now say you are fulfilled?

    With that done, I have a great sense of fulfilment. I am very happy and glad that I did what I did. I just hope a lot of people will learn from it.\

    You have written your name in the heart of many through this gesture. So what is next for you?

    In 2014, I will be working on my debut album which will be out soon. I will also be on tour and shoot videos. I will definitely take my music to the next level.

    Do you have plans for more philanthropic gesture?

    By God’s grace, I have a project on women which is Safe Motherhood Initiative. It’s meant to enlighten women on the need for ante-natal. This will be later in the year.

    Talking about women, what is your view on domestic violence?

    Any man who hits a woman should be jailed. I don’t believe in domestic violence regardless of what the woman did. My dad never hit my mum.

    Did music find you or was it the other way round?

    I think we found ourselves. As a kid, I have loved music. But I never thought I could be a musician. I am a pastor’s son, I was in the church choir and started singing from there. It has always been music for me, though I studied computer science in school, I always knew I was going to do music, it’s a passion and really there’s nothing better than doing what you love and getting paid for it.

    You hugged limelight through MTN Project Fame. What made you enter for the competition?

    A friend of mine encouraged me. Before then, I had tried a couple of competitions and could not make a headway. So I got discouraged, but this friend said I could. So I decided to give it one more trial. I went from Kaduna to Abuja for the audition. I made it to the Lagos regional and later to the house and eventually the finale. Music has been good since then.

    So would you agree that music is paying your bills?

    Certainly. And it is paying other people’s bills too.

    You mean you don’t do any other thing apart from music?

    I do. It is wise for any man to have an alternative. But majorly, I sorted my bills through music.

    Your kind of music is R&B. Why R&B for you?

    It is the soul of music. My sound has been influenced by what I listened to as a kid. While growing up I listened to Boys II Men. I am a singer and instrumentalist. It is just a way of expressing myself better.

    No doubt you are a star. What has being a star robbed you of?

    There are a couple of things that you do and you could not do anymore. For instance, you cannot just leave your house to go and buy akara on the roadside. They are just expectations of people of you.

    Sometimes when you listen to the lyrics of some musicians, you can’t just figure out what they are singing. What is your view on the Nigerian music industry?

    The industry is evolving. I will commend Nigeria musicians, we are recognised all over the world that we are coming up strong and in Africa, we are number one. With time we will get there. To me, music is symphony that gives you a particular feeling. It could make you dance, smile or cry. It is just that Nigerian music is mostly dance music, which is up tempo.

     

    Why is it that after being successful, artistes tend to fight or part ways with their record label?

    Most artistes are stubborn. For someone to pick you up out of nothing and raise you does not mean you should forget where you are coming from. Some artistes do, anyway. But in other cases, the label may not be doing enough and the artistes expect more.

    How does it feel performing alongside Johnny Gill at the last Butterscotch event?

    It felt good. I am not new to the scene. In previous times, I have headlined shows along with Brandy, Joe and others but I was happy about it because it was another chance to put out good music and entertain the crowd.

    Why do you love buttons and dark glasses?

    Some of my jackets are made by Remmy buttons. The dark glasses look is my trademark look.

    What does style mean to you?

    I like a fusion of casuals and smart, I don’t always want to dress seriously unless the occasion demands it. I love sneakers, I don’t also joke with suits. As an artiste, it is important to look good and I like creating a balance.

  • MTN, Ecobank sign mobile money partnership

    MTN Ghana and Ecobank have partnered to extend card-less automated teller machines (ATM) services in the country. With this partnership, MTN Mobile Money subscribers can now enjoy the convenience and ease of withdrawing money instantly from Ecobank ATMs anytime and from anywhere without a card.

    Ecobank is the latest partner bank to offer this service to MTN Mobile Money subscribers in Ghana.

    The Senior Manager for MTN Ghana Mobile Money, Eli Hini, said, “MTN is constantly finding new ways of delighting customers through our Bold New Digital strategy.”

    He urged other banks to emulate this initiative to enrich the user experience of customers.

    Owureku Asare, Regional Manager for Cards and Electronic Banking (Ghana and West African Monetary Zone) at Ecobank, welcomed the partnership.

    “The partnership with MTN to offer Mobile Money customers the opportunity to perform Cardless withdrawals from over 200 Ecobank ATMs in Ghana is to strategically make branchless banking a reality by activating multiple channels,” Asare said.

    These channels include mobile phones, internet, Points of Sales (POS), ATMs and through Agents.” He further mentioned that, the branchless banking strategy will provide convenience that complement’s the lifestyle needs of the Ghanaian.

    He stated that increasing access to banking services to youth, under-banked and unbanked, with cheaper and more convenient financial services was at the heart of Ecobank’s strategy.

  • NCC fines MTN, Airtel, Glo N647m

    NCC fines MTN, Airtel, Glo N647m

    • Bars them from SIM cards sale

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has imposed fines totalling N647,500,000 million on three of the four global system for mobile (GSM) comunication service providers in the country.

    The affected operators are Airtel, Globacom and MTN. They are being sanctioned for failing to meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for quality of service in the month of January this year.

    Consequently, the three companies have been barred from further sale of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards with effect from next month. They are also barred from all promotions on their networks until they improve on the failed KPIs for which they are sanctioned.

    According to a statement, the details of the sanction showed that Airtel Network Ltd, and MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, are to pay a fine of N185 million each while Globacom Ltd is to pay N277,500. In addition, each of the operators must pay the sanction amount on or before March 7 failure upon which each will be liable to pay N2,500,000 per day as long as the contravention persists.

    The sanctions, which were communicated to the three operators in a letter signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said the Commission will carry out an audit of the three companies on March 1 and March 31 to ensure that no sale of new SIM cards takes place in any of the three networks within the period.

    The letter made reference to an earlier directive of December 10 last year which warned the operators that “if the quality of service does not improve by 31st December, 2013, the Commission will be compelled to direct operators to, among others, suspend the activation of new SIMs and subscribers until such an operator can prove that it has met the KPIs specified in the regulations”.

    According to Dr. Juwah, “ the Commission after careful collation of statistics from the Network Operating Centres (NOC) of all major networks operators for the month of January, has concluded that the service provided by some of the operators during the period fell below the KPIs published by the Commission in the Quality of Service Regulations, as amended.”

    While the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON) have insisted that sanctions will not address the service quality problem, the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) has said the benefit of sanctions should go to subscribers.

    Its President, Deolu Ogunbanjo said such compensation for poor service quality could come by way of free air time to the subscribers. “The government earns revenue from the calls we make. The fines are paid to the coffers of the government without any direct benefits to the subscribers who suffer from the inadequacies of the operator,” he said.

    NCC added that the service providers shall not churn or delete inactive or (none revenue generating SIMs) from their networks during the period of March 1 to 31, warning that “any deviation or alteration of provisioning pattern (in terms of average daily number of provisioning) in the remaining days of February this year compared to the regular provisioning rates by the concerned service providers shall be construed as a breach to the directive.

  • Reps oppose 2.3GHZ broadband spectrum auction

    Reps oppose 2.3GHZ broadband spectrum auction

    House of Representatives has decried the planned sale of 2.3GHZ broadband spectrum by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

    Its Committee on Communications has been mandated to review the pre-qualification criteria for companies wishing to participate in the proposed auction.

    The House also mandated the committee to look into future auctions of national telecommunications assets, with a view to including a requirement that interested companies be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (SEC).

    The lawmakers’ decision followed the adoption of a motion by Chris Azubogu (APGA, Anambra), who said most companies, which indicated interest in the auction, cannot be subjected to certain rules.

    He said: “Most of the major players in the industry – MTN, Airtel, Etisalat and others, all of whom have indicated a desire to participate in the auction, are privately-owned companies, which are not subject to the corporate governance and full disclosure standards obligatory for publicly- listed companies.

    “It is absence of standards, which makes our prime national telecommunications assets to be transferred to companies without proper authentication of their financial status.

    “Auction of communications licences to unquoted companies is not in the public policy interest of the Nigerian state and it is dangerous to the well-being of the industry”.

    Major telecommunications companies, including MTN, Glo, Airtel, Zinox among others were reported to have bid for the 2.3GHZ broadband spectrum licence, following the announcement for the auction by NCC.

     

  • MTN workers remanded for alleged N1.358b theft

    MTN workers remanded for alleged N1.358b theft

    Two workers of Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) and three others were yesterday ordered to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja for alleged N1.358 billion theft.

    Their arraignment and trial before Justice Kudirat Jose was stalled, following the absence of a key witness and one of the defendants.

    The MTN workers are Victor Akintunde, 41 and Gani Mustapha, 46, while the others are Mutairu Babatunde, Prima Vera Engineering and Construction Limited and Mabo Dredging Limited.

    The third defendant, Mutairu Babatunde, was absent in court.

    The EFCC preferred a 17-count of conspiracy, stealing, forgery and issuance of dud cheque against the defendants.

    EFCC counsel Emmanuel Jackson told the court that the defendants committed the offences with the intent to defraud.

    Jackson alleged that Akintunde, Mustapha and Babatunde with their companies – Prima Vera Engineering and Construction Limited and Mabo Deredging Limited – allegedly conspired to steal N127 million, property of MTN Employees’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (MEMCOS).

    Jackson also alleged that the defendants stole N50 million belonging to the cooperative society, adding that the money was fraudulently collected as a deposit for the land they bought from Mutairu Baba Egbe Family on behalf of the society.

    The prosecutor alleged that the accused conspired to steal N77 million, property of MEMCOS, being outstanding refund for five hectares, of the 13 hectares bought for the society from the Mutairu Baba Egbe Family on the excuse that the land owners had a defective title.

    Jackson said Babatunde and Primavera Engineering and Construction Limited stole N516.697 million, property of MEMCOS.

    The prosecution claimed that the defendant fraudulently claimed he used the money to compensate early settlers in 26 hectares of land amounting to 321 plots bought for the society from the Jagun Opolu family.

    The EFCC counsel, Emmanuel Jackson, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offence on April 8, 2008.

    The commission also alleged that the defendants, on August 3, 2009, stole N515.697 million, property of MEMCOS, which they fraudulently converted through Mabo Dredging Limited.

    According to the counsel, the defendants stole N592.820 million from MEMCOS under false pretence.

    He added that the money represented the payment to Lagos State government for documentation and the governor’s consent.

    The defendants on April 25, 2008, he alleged, also obtained N990 million under the pretence that the money was for the payment of 13 hectares at Okun Ajah Community.

    The third, fourth and fifth defendants were also alleged to have issued a First Bank cheque with N427 million in favour of MEMCOS but the cheque was reportedly dishonoured when it was presented at the bank for lack of insufficient fund in the account.

    The judge fixed February 27 for the arraignment of the defendants.

  • MTN ambassadors tweet about Valentine

    With Valentine’s Day a few days away, MTN celebrity ambassadors have been engaging youths on the social media, sharing love tips, stories, personal experiences, and providing answers to issues raised by fans on the MTN twitter handle.

    The strategy appears to be working for the brand, with a huge followership by fans, who read the thread and have been rebroadcasting some of the comments.

    One of the celebrities, Kcee (Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo), has also seized the opportunity to talk about love, using one of his hits, Pull Over.

    The song is said to have recorded over a million downloads on MTN Callertunez, barely two weeks after his album launch, and the Limpopo Master, as he is fondly called, thinks his fans have shown him great love by taking to his songs.

    “Valentine is a day for the exchange of tokens of affection,” he said, explaining to a fan that the occasion can also be used to visit the less privileged and physically-challenged.

    Kedike crooner Chidinma Ekile, who came to reckoning having won the MTN Project Fame reality show in 2010, was also a special guest on the MTN twitter handle. She engaged her fans in a lengthy discussion, telling them about her career growth since she won the third edition of the show, while also commenting on her relationship status. The diminutive singer advised her fans to engage only in social activities that will empower them positively.

    There was HarrySong, who won the best MTN Callertunez last year, for his song on the late Nelson Mandela.

    Harrysong shared his experience from the 56th Grammy Award, showering encomiums on MTN for facilitating his journey to the prestigious award.

    Other artistes who made comments on the MTN twitter handle are Praiz and D’Prince, who said they would perform with other top Nigerian artistes like Don Jazzy, Wizkid, Iyanya, Davido, Sound Sultan, Banky W and Tiwa Savage, at the MTN Valentine Rave Party, at the Eko Hotel and Suites on February 14.

    Feelers from the ICT company say at least one celebrity will be special guest on the MTN twitter handle, to interact with followers, every day till Valentine’s day on Friday. The artistes will include those listed for the Rave Party like comic character, Hafeez Oyetoro, popularly called Saka.

     

  • ‘How a reality show changed my life’

    ‘How a reality show changed my life’

    Iroghama Ogbeifun became winner of MTN’s Next Business Titan entrepreneurship reality show after 13 weeks of several tasks undertaken by two teams of 16 contestants. She went home with N5 million in addition to a 2013 Ford Focus plus a 4-year free post-presentation service of the car by Briscoe Ford. With the entrepreneurial skill she garnered, she went ahead to establish the Hairven range of hair products launched into the Nigerian market last December. Ogbeifun tells Adetutu Audu why she dumped medicine

    WHAT inspired you into this?

    I gained admission to the University of Massachusetts in Boston, United States to study medicine but dumped it for a degree in Biology and Psychology. When coming home, I came back with loads of human hair. Of course, my parents were somehow confused. I was sent back to the Brunel University in the United Kingdom for an MSC in Public Health and Health Promotion where I developed my business interest further. When coming back I came back again with a lot of cartons of hair care products. They were wondering what was wrong with me. They watched me for one year. I worked very hard, running up and down and they gave me their support.

    Any prior training?

    I had no prior training in business as a science-oriented person. My father is a business man; I guess I must have inherited it from him. It was during my one-year mandatory youth service that my potential as a business woman blossomed and I developed a flair for buying and selling.

    What informed your decision to go into hair care products?

    We know that the beauty of a woman lies in her hair and as such HAIRVEN range of hair care products is dedicated to building the pride and confidence of every woman through the development of quality hair care products that are affordable and carefully designed to bring out individuality and natural beauty. A lot of women spend a lot of money on hair extension but don’t know how to maintain it. A lot of women are buying human hair but don’t have products that can cater for it. I saw the opportunity as an emerging market. As a result, I came up with the idea while doing my youth service. I came up with the idea of manufacturing my own brands. It took me three years to come up with these brands. Right now, I manufacture in South Africa. Initially, I was on my own but now have a partner who doubles as Chief Operating Officer, HAIRVEN, Omajuwa Agbeyegbe.

    How did you get into the Next Titan?

    I heard about it from a friend and I applied and I was picked during the regional audition in February and in April they selected 16 of us out of 55. I went into the academy for three months. And every week we had to do different challenging business-related tasks. And at the 13th week, I became the winner. And the final stage was the launch of a business idea and I introduced what I am doing today, Hairven range of hair care products that cater for human hair of various types. I won N5m and a brand new car.

    What do you think gave you an edge?

    God first, and the power of vision, being focused and determined. It wasn’t easy competing among 16 talented young entrepreneurs. These were strangers that I have never met before; different people from different backgrounds that I had to work with week in week out to carry out different tasks. Secondly, we had only three days to accomplish them. I had to develop jingles, television commercials, we did campaign for LASA, Peak Milk, Briscoe Ford and we did a philanthropy task where my team drilled a bore-hole in Ikota Slum Village. We installed taps; we refurbished their pit toilet to WC system and gave them a family health care centre, all in three days. It was the most emotional task for me because when the water started running you could feel the excitement of a people who hadn’t seen running water in 10 years. My business idea, which is what I am doing right now, gave me an edge. I exhibited passion for it. It was a wonderful experience for me that all the efforts paid off.

    What was your parent’s reaction when you dumped medicine?

    My dad initially wasn’t pleased because he had already told his friends in Nigeria that his daughter was in America studying medicine. I called that I had embraced Biology and Psychology. When I came back and was sent abroad he gave me his support. But he was somehow confused when I came back with loads of hair care products and went into full-time business. He is a business man as well and I think I must have inherited it from him. When he saw how committed I was, he was pleased and proud of me, and today he is one of my major investors.

    How has the reality show helped your business?

    The interest has always been there. The show further helped me to hone my skill because it was a platform that brought out the real business side of me. And during the course of the show, I met a lot of interesting people. Winning aside, I have been able to prove my worth after the show by opening Hairven. I think is a plus for me. More people take me seriously now and it has opened a lot of doors for me as a credible person.

    Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

    I see my company expanding across Nigeria, expanding our product range; more distributors. I see us becoming an established credible indigenous brand bringing manufacturing to Nigeria. Right now, I have a partner in South Africa who manufactures for me but I own the formula, which means I can replicate it in any part of the world.

  • MTN’s mobile clinics for six states

    MTN’s mobile clinics for six states

    MTN Foundation, the corporate social investment vehicle of MTN Nigeria, has inaugurated the MTNF Y’ello Doctor Mobile Medical Intervention Scheme also known as the “MTNF Y’ello Doctor Project”. The project which is aimed at complementing government’s efforts to boost healthcare delivery in the country, was officially flagged off recently on the premises of the company in Lagos.

    The project involves the deployment of six state-of-the-art mobile clinics stocked with medical equipment and drugs, while the beneficiary states will provide the medical personnel to ensure seamless provision of primary healthcare through this intervention scheme. The mobile clinics will help to reduce the incidence of maternal and child deaths especially in rural communities. It will also be of assistance in the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases in the communities of beneficiary states, among other Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Michael Ikpoki, said: “At MTN, we believe that health is one area the private sector can play a visible role.

  • ‘No price increase of MTN recharge cards’

    ‘No price increase of MTN recharge cards’

    MTN has stated that the face value of all its recharge card denominations remain the same. “We have not effected a price increase and the retail prices of the various denominations of our recharge cards and recharge vouchers remain the same,” says Wale Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive, MTN.

    The recharge vouchers come in the following denominations: N1, 500, N750, N400, N200 and N100.

    Goodluck was speaking against the backdrop of reports that MTN recharge cards are being sold at prices above their face value in some parts of the country.

    “Any such hike,” said Goodluck, “is contrary to MTN’s wishes or knowledge. MTN has a well-established distribution structure and all our authorised partners within this structure are obliged to sell recharge cards at their face value. Any variance from the authorised face value of recharge cards is without MTN’s knowledge or authority.”

    MTN’s 55 million customers can purchase airtime via recharge cards or recharge vouchers as well as through a virtual top up. The airtime recharge options are generally distributed via a very extensive trade and distribution network which has over the years successfully enhanced accessibility to airtime and customer convenience.

    Goodluck assured customers that the company is currently working assiduously to arrest the situation. In the meantime, he said “We urge our esteemed customers in the affected areas to explore other options of purchasing airtime such as MTN Virtual Top Up (VTU) or MTN Auto-Top Up.

  • MTN’s ‘recharge cards’ prices go up

    MTN’s ‘recharge cards’ prices go up

    The prices of the recharge cards of Nigeria’s telecoms sector ‘dominant operator’, MTN have gone up sharply, it was discovered yesterday.

    Investigation showed that the N1500 worth of airtime now goes for N1550. The N200 worth sells for N220. Similarly, the N100 card goes for N110.

    One reseller said they increased prices because the telco and its dealers have increased the margin they take on each of the cards, leaving them almost empty.

    A reseller in Ayobo, a Lagos suburb, said while the N1500 card was formerly sold to them by the dealers at N1430, it is now N1500; the N200 card usually sold to them at N198 is now N199.

    She said: “We were shocked when we got to where we used to buy recharge cards to discover that the prices have been increased. In the past, we used to buy the N1000 worth of the N100 recharge card (that is 10) at N950, it is now N970.Similarly, we used to pay N95 for the N100 worth, it is now N99.”

    According to her, if they have to remain in business, then they have to increase the price of the cards to the final consumers.

    “We did not come to Lagos to work for MTN or its dealers. We are in business to make profit and if the owners of the business are eating up all the profit, then there is no point remaining in business,” she added

    Another retailer who simply identified herself as Bola said it has become part of MTN to hike the price of its recharge cards. According to her, she has stopped buying the telco’s recharge cards, adding that when she exhausts her current stock, she will not buy new ones.

    But the telco has denied any increase in the price of its recharge cards, arguing that anybody doing that is obviously acting outside the laws.

    General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Corporate Service Division, MTN, Funmilayo Onajide said the cost of every card remains the value of its worth.

    She said: “The cost of every recharge card is the value stated on it. Any third party selling recharge cards at a value at variance with the face value is acting illegally. “MTN has a well-established distribution structure and all our authorised partners within this structure are obliged to adhere to this. Any variance from the authorised face value of recharge cards is without MTN’s authority.”

    Reacting to the development, president, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Deolu Ogunbanjo said across all the local government areas of Lagos State, only 20 per cent of phone users buy recharge cards at the value written on them.

    According to him, the remaining 80 per cent buy at prices not inscribed on the cards, adding that MTN is worst hit by the development.

    Ogunbanjo urged MTN to swing into action, adding that it is dangerous for the telco to keep quiet in an era of mobile number portability (MNP) which allowed subscribers to dump an operator while still retaining his mobile number.

    He said MTN’s super dealers may not be involved in the current racket but its sub-dealers and bulk agents, adding that it is necessary for the telco to immediately takes steps to stop further exploitation of the subscribers.