Connecting Africa is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 3099067.

4G/5G

Etisalat Sets Brand Deadline for Nigeria Operator

Article Image
Mobile operator Etisalat Nigeria may be forced into a near-term name change if one of its former stakeholders gets its way.

Regional giant Etisalat Group has announced that, following its withdrawal as a stakeholder in Nigeria's debt-laden number four operator, it has terminated its management and support agreements with Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services (EMTS), which trades as Etisalat Nigeria. In addition, it has set a deadline of July 21 for the Etisalat name to be dropped by the Nigerian operator unless a new agreement is reached.

The move adds to Etisalat Nigeria's woes. The operator, which has about 19.6 million customers and a market share of about 13%, is in restructuring mode following the decision by the Etisalat Group to relinquish its stake in the operator and hand over control to a holding company on behalf of a consortium of banks, a move that has attracted the interest of some other major names with an interest in the Nigerian market. (See Orange, Vodafone Eye Stake in Etisalat Nigeria – Report.)

Now the new management team at Etisalat Nigeria has only days to agree a new strategy for the operator and avoid a painful rebranding process that could damage its business. Leading those efforts is the new CEO, Boye Olusanya, and new CFO, Funke Ighodaro. They replace Matthew Willsher and Olawole Obasunloye, both of whom quit following the takeover by the banks. The operator also has a new chairman, Dr Joseph Nnanna, an economist representing the Central bank of Nigeria.

Olusanya has experience of the market, having served as deputy CEO at Celtel Nigeria, which subsequently became the country's number three mobile operator, Airtel Nigeria.

— Ray Le Maistre, Follow me on TwitterVisit my LinkedIn profile, International Group Editor, Light Reading for Connecting Africa.

Innovation hub

Story

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's Tech Herfrica

Connecting Africa's hot startup is Nigeria's Tech Herfrica, a social impact organization that focuses on the digital and financial inclusion of women and girls in rural areas of Nigeria.

Story

Omdia View: February 2024

Highlights in February 2024 in the Middle East and Africa included 5G launches in Senegal and 5G trials in Egypt as well as Kenya's first 5G MVNO. Airtel also launched a new wholesale connectivity business while MTN and Huawei are planning a joint Innovation Technology Lab in South Africa – that and more in this month's Omdia View.

More Innovation hub

Latest video

More videos

Partner perspectives

All Partner Perspectives

Sponsored video

More videos

Industry announcements

More Industry announcements

Upcoming events

Africa Tech Festival 2024
November 11-14, 2024
Cape Town, South Africa
More Upcoming events

Africa Tech Perspectives

Story

Uber's Marjorie Saint-Lot on inclusion and sustainability in Africa

Uber's Country Manager for Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, Marjorie Saint-Lot, shares how the ride-hailing company is approaching public-private partnerships, environmentally friendly initiatives and gender inclusion in Africa.

Story

The 100 most influential African leaders in 2023

A new report from Africa Tech Festival and Connecting Africa puts a spotlight on the top 100 African leaders in the telecoms and technology sector in 2023.

Story

Deep dive into East Africa's tech startup ecosystem

New survey reveals a lack of access to investors, reliance on international VCs and global recession trends as the biggest barriers for East African tech startups to access funds.

More Africa Tech perspectives

Guest Perspectives

Story

Omdia View: February 2024

By Omdia Analysts

Highlights in February 2024 in the Middle East and Africa included 5G launches in Senegal and 5G trials in Egypt as well as Kenya's first 5G MVNO. Airtel also launched a new wholesale connectivity business while MTN and Huawei are planning a joint Innovation Technology Lab in South Africa – that and more in this month's Omdia View.

Story

Omdia View: January 2024

By Omdia Analysts

Highlights in January 2024 in the Middle East and Africa included a $200 million fintech deal between MTN and Mastercard as well as 5G network trials by Telecom Egypt – that and more in this month's Omdia View.

More Guest Perspectives

Like us on Facebook

Newsletter Sign Up


Sign Up
Tag id test-002