Telecom stakeholders make case for partnerships to improve rural connectivity

Satya Mekala, chief executive officer (CEO), Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), says mobile virtual network operators (MNVOs) would need to partner more with mobile network operators (MNOs) to develop digital products to boost connectivity in rural areas.

Mekala, who spoke at the recent MNVO conference in Lagos, said leveraging is what would keep MNVOs in business in Nigeria.

He also commended the recent approval of licences by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), saying more can be achieved moving forward.

According to Mekala, the conference was aimed at supporting the MVNOs to launch and run successfully.

“MNVOs have the same license with the mobile network operators like MTN, but they have to leverage the MNOs to operate their business,” he said.

“We have several villages in Nigeria that are not connected. WTL has an innovative solution to connect them to the rest of the world.

“MVNOs have the license to run on the mobile network operators. Secondly, tier three to tier five have the license from NCC to put radios in rural communities.

“This will help to connect the unconnected population, thereby boosting the economy of Nigeria. With the connectivity, it will boost telemedicine, the agricultural sector, education, and even micro small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.”

Also speaking on the importance of MVNOs and managing the business, Emeka Isiguzo, sales director, WTL, said MVNO business requires huge capital investments.

He also said planning right and growing the right way was imperative.

“With the MVNOs coming into the telecom space, they are going to serve as niche drivers to help extend telecom services to certain segments of the country. What this simply means is that they have to be innovative in designing products and services that they can actually deliver,” Isiguzo said.

“So, the MVNOs have a very huge opportunity in rolling out the products, especially in the digital space, because of the rate of digitalisation in the world.

“It is going to be a competitive space and the fact that the MVNOs are going to leverage on the MNOs, they would need to make some fantastic agreements with the MNOs such that they can roll out services that are affordable to their customers.”

On his part, Chidi Aduzie, chief operating officer, WTES Project, called for the government’s support in sustaining the markets.

Aduzie asked the federal government to formulate regulatory policies that would enable the MVNOs to thrive.

“MNVOs are new entrants in the market and as such, they should be exempted from tax, to enable them to compete favorably in the market,” he added.