MTN Nigeria has said it is extending telecommunications coverage to 20 million Nigerians living in over 3000 underserved and unserved communities nationwide through its rural telephony programme.
The company in a statement on Tuesday said it had so far extended connectivity to 583 rural sites; more than half of which were installed this year and connect communities such as Kurba, Agbiyi Umuede, Tobolo, Opaha, Tudun Faila, Oguru Uzo Uwani, and Sarkin Kaya Rini.
“Going forward, MTN plans to install more than 1,000 new sites each year in the next few years to cover all the identified locations’’, MTN said.
To achieve this goal, Daily Trust reports, MTN has been working with technology partners like Huawei and others.
Together, they are deploying infrastructure that will accelerate connectivity and aid the consistent rollout of low-cost connectivity solutions in these areas that have non-existent or limited network coverage and broadband services. Speaking on this initiative, Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mazen Mroue, said: “Our core belief is that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life. It is driven by an understanding of the potential impact of connectivity on the socioeconomic outcomes of individuals, communities, and the country as a whole. This belief drives our rural expansion goals and fuels our commitment to continue pushing until everyone is connected.”
MTN said it would continue to invest significantly in expanding existing capacity and installing new technologies; thus advancing digital inclusion.
