Airtel Telecommunication Company Takes ICT To Rural Communities

Lagos, Nigeria; August 25, 2014:As part of a strategic effort to empower more Nigerians in line with its key objective of becoming Nigeria’s number one mobile Internet operator, Airtel Nigeria has announced an empowerment initiative that focuses on creating awareness for ICT use and uptake in the rural areas across the country. The programme, Boost ICT Usage in Rural Areas, is designed to help consumers living in or visiting the designated locations in these underserved communities to have first-hand experience of the company’s unequalled data services with no financial implications to the consumers. According to Airtel, the programme will also assist to facilitate ICT/Data penetration in the country’s rural settlements. Currently, Nigeria has 55,930,391 mobile Internet users out of a population of 174,507,539 representing 32.9% penetration rate with heavy concentration in the urban areas. Speaking about the Boost ICT Usage in Rural Areas programme, Airtel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Maurice Newa, said the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between consumers in the rural settings and the world of opportunities before them.

“We are pleased by the prospect of ensuring our customers in the rural communities experience data services aimed at enhancing their quality of work and living. As a responsible corporate citizen, we have consistently sought ways of rendering life enriching services to them just like we have done with those in the urban areas. “There is a lot going on acrossthe globe which ordinarily may fall outside the scope of the rural dwellers but which, if they are given the right access, may bring their dreams to fulfilment. So we are providing this trusted platform for them to achieve more.This initiative is in tandem with our vision of becoming the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians,” he said.

Speaking further, Newa also assured on the company’s readiness to lead the drive for internet penetration and uptake especially in the rural areas of the country which has about 50% of the total population but is yet to be covered effectively in terms of access to data services. “As a data-centric operator, we are prepared for the challenge of internet penetration in the rural areas. We have shown leadership with our 3.75G network which is in over 200 cities and towns across the nation,” he said. Under the Boost ICT Usage in Rural Areas, Airtel will provide the enabling tools like tablets and smart phones to facilitate theexperience of customers.

Starting with rural communities in Ebonyi, the Airtel ICT train will criss-cross rural communities in Imo, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa and Rivers. Others are Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory. The initiative highlights Airtel’s role as the innovative leader in data services. It currently prides itself as the leading data-centric company being the only operator with 3.75G services which can be accessed in over 200 cities and towns across Nigeria.