Nigeria’s telecommunications company, MTN, is set to give out a whooping $215m (#192 Billion) to support the Benin Republic in the hope of boosting its telecom infrastructure.
This is aimed at advancing securing telecom infrastructure in the West African region according to the statement released by the telecom giant. The telco giant said its dedication to the initiative is part of its broader strategy to improve connectivity and technological capabilities across the region.
This was made known during the MTN Group leadership visit to Cotonou, where its representatives met with the country’s President Patrice Talon.
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MTN CEO Remarks on the Initiative
The top executives who were present at the event include MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Muptia, MTN Benin Chairman, Amadou Raimi, Senior Vice President for Markets, Ebenezer Asante, MTN Benin CEO, Uche Ofodile, and MTN Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Nompilo Morafo.
Speaking on the initiative, the MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Muptia said,
“MTN works to be a force for good in our markets, giving Africans hope, dignity, and opportunity. We are grateful for the warm reception received in Benin, where we have trialed 5G services and see opportunities to progress this.”
This might be MTN’s way of rejuvenating its image after its dispute with Globacom. Due to this, Globacom was granted an additional 21-day extension to address and settle outstanding interconnect fees owed to MTN. These fees pertain to the charges incurred by a telecom company for calls terminating on its network.
This extension comes on the heels of the telecoms regulator’s scheduled phased disconnection, which was set to commence one day after the initial deadline.
In a press statement, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced the positive development, stating, “The Commission is pleased to announce that the parties have now reached an agreement to resolve all outstanding issues between them. The Commission expects MTN and Glo to resolve all outstanding issues within 21 days.”
