Etisalat Nigeria to retain operations with new brand name

Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd. (EMTS) trading as Etisalat Nigeria on Tuesday informed its customers that the change of brand name will not affect its operations. Mr. Ibrahim Dikko, the Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, EMTS made this known in a statement.

Dikko said that EMTS was aware of recent news reports regarding Etisalat Group’s withdrawal of the right to the continued use of the Etisalat brand in Nigeria by EMTS. He said that EMTS had a valid and subsisting agreement with the Etisalat Group.

According to him, the agreement entitles EMTS to use the Etisalat brand notwithstanding the recent changes within the company. “Indeed, discussions are ongoing between EMTS and Etisalat Group pertaining to the continued use of the brand. “EMTS will issue a formal statement once discussions are concluded. 

“The final outcome on the use of the brand in no way affects the operations of the business as our full range of services remain available to our customers,’’ he said. Dikko said that EMTS launched in Nigeria in 2008 with “0809ja’’ to affirm the “Nigerianness’’ of its origin and sphere of influence. He said that in nine years of operation, the company remained a prime driver and avid supporter of the Nigerian spirit of excellence. According to him, the telecommunications company will continue to stay true to its “Naijacentric identity’’. 

“This notion is strongly reflected in our core messages and depicted in major projects and initiatives, which we have been known to support. “All these initiatives have their foundation embedded in supporting key aspects of the Nigerian fabric: building Nigerian businesses and empowering Nigerians with a focus on the youth. “Nigeria remains the soul of EMTS’ business and we have made the brand alluring to our teeming subscribers, who see a piece of the spirit and character of Nigeria in everything we do. 

“EMTS is here to stay and we wish to assure our esteemed customers that our core values of youthfulness, customer-centricity and innovation will remain the pillars on which we operate. “We thank our esteemed customers for their abiding faith in us,’’ Dikko said. Since the month of March, Etisalat Group has been having the issues with the consortium of 13 banks over the payment of 1.2 billion dollar loan. 

The group had on Monday given Etisalat Nigeria three weeks ultimatum to stop the usage of its brand name.

Vanguard

Video - Etisalat to phase out brand in Nigeria

Abu Dhabi's Etisalat has terminated its management agreement with its Nigerian arm and given the business time to phase out the brand in the country. This, after Nigerian regulators intervened to save Etisalat Nigeria from collapse, after talks with its lenders to renegotiate a $1.2 billion loan failed. All UAE shareholders of Etisalat Nigeria have exited the company and have left the board and management. Discussion between Etisalat International and its Nigerian arm are now ongoing to provide technical support for another 3 weeks before phasing it out.

NTA journalist shot dead

A reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Benin, Lawrence Okojie, was allegedly shot dead by gunmen on Saturday night in Benin, the Edo State capital.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Okojie was said to have been killed around Ogunola Junction, off Siluko Road.

The spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Moses Nkombe, who confirmed the report, said one person had been arrested in connection with the incident.

NAN gathered that the late Mr. Okojie, who was dropped off by NTA staff bus at Ogunola Junction around 8: 00 p.m. on Saturday, had called his wife on phone and informed her that he was on his way home.

It was, however, several hours later that the wife, after repeated calls to his phone without any response raised an alarm that her husband, who was supposed to have arrived home could not be reached.

It was gathered that some of his colleagues at NTA joined by some family members on a search mission, discovered his corpse in a morgue in Benin on Sunday night.

As at the time of filing in this report, the circumstances surrounding the death of the reporter are still sketchy.

The police have, however, promised to thoroughly investigate the matter.

NAN reports that Mr. Okojie’s death brings to five the number of journalists killed in the state in the last six years.

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