Nigerian Operator Plans $700 Million CDMA Network Investment

Nigerian CDMA network operator, GiCell Wireless says that it plans to spend over US$700 million over the next three years to expand its rural coverage. The company is already covering five of the country's thirty-six states and expects to create nearly half a million direct and indirect jobs.

GiCell Wireless' CEO, Usman Gumi told the local Business Day newspaper that the company has already spent US$50 million and secured a subsidy of US$5 million from the World Bank.

He said: "We intend to cover the country within three years but we are taking off from these five states to meet the World Bank requirement having been selected as the first Universal Access Service provider in Nigeria to provide telecommunication to un-served and under-served areas"

According to him, the company was awarded the contract to provide telecom service to three routes, which include - Yola-Biu, Ilorin-Yasika (through Oyo State ) and Calabar-Obura Routes, out of 24 routes mapped out by the World Bank for rural telephony.

On the web: Business Day

Posted to the site on 17th June 2009