Motorola Wins Nigerian GSM Contract

Motorola has signed a turnkey US$75 million GSM network expansion contract with Nigeria M-tel. The scope of the expansion project covers installation, commissioning and the upgrading of sites in the cities of Benin, Ikorodu and Yola.

Raphael Udeogu, Motorola Nigeria country manager said, "We're particularly pleased to have been awarded this contract through a competitive tender process. This contract is a testament of the work Motorola is doing in Nigeria and it demonstrates M-tel's support of Motorola's corporate governance policy."

"Motorola foresees substantial growth potential within the Nigeria market. In 1999 there were 500,000 fixed customers and today there are more than 20 million mobile customers and still, there are many regions that are without coverage. The bulk of the network traffic in Nigeria is voice-centric and the expansion will provide much needed data services such as e-mail and Internet. The agreement with M-tel reinforces Motorola's continuing commitment not only to Nigeria but to the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. Motorola is strongly positioned to provide quality wireless networking solutions in Africa, with local presence, expertise and capability," Udeogu concludes.

The Mobile World subscriber database reports that M-tel is estimated to have a little over 1.5 million customers in Nigeria, giving it a current market share of 5.5%, considerably behind its nearest rival, V-Mobile's 20% market share."

Posted to the site on 12th December 2006