The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday gave regulatory approval to Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), to officially rebrand from Etislat Nigeria to 9mobile.
Its Director, Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, said the regulator had been officially notified about the name change, adding that it has received the blessing of the regulator. The telco, in a statement, announced to its over 20 million subscribers, government, and all relevant stakeholder groups that the telco has changed its name Etisalat Nigeria to 9mobile.
It said it is a further testament of its unwavering commitment to ensuring business continuity as Nigeria’s fourth largest telecom operator.
Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Boye Olusanya, explained in a statement that the new trading name, 9mobile represents the telco’s 0809ja heritage, its 9ja-centricity, and evolution over 9 years of operations in Nigeria. “
“Although our trading name has changed, we remain true to the same values on which our company was built.
“A strong and resilient Nigerian spirit continues to reside in us, uniting us with you our subscribers and we are confident that you will continue to believe in our new brand, which strongly reflects our innate creativity and youthfulness.
“Furthermore, this rebrand is a testament to our dynamism, responsiveness and agility as a business, while we leverage the power of technology to deliver innovative products and services that meet your needs. Our confidence in our ability to continue to make this happen is bolstered by the sheer determination, commitment and passion of our people to do more; and continue delivering excellent service,” Olusanya said.
According to her, in order to ensure the change of name is delivered efficiently and responsibly, the telco will take a measured approach to the migration to the new brand over the next few months. “Therefore as we go through this transition, our esteemed subscribers we ask for your patience and reaffirm our commitment to remain a listening brand. We will continue to innovate, support, and empower you to do more – whether as an individual or a business.
“To our business partners, your unwavering belief in the strength of our brand inspires us to do more. We will remain committed to working together and exploring possibilities to achieve our mutual goals; and to our stakeholders, we thank you for your abiding faith in us. We will ensure that our core values of innovation, customer-centricity, and superior quality of service remain the pillars upon which we operate.The soul of our business remains authentically Nigerian. We are here for you, here for 9ja,” the CEO said.
Etisalat Nigeria had been in talks with its lenders to restructure a $1.2 billion debt after it missed repayments but the discussions failed to produce a deal, forcing the banks to step in.
