Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Etisalat Celebrates 20 million Customers in Six Years … Records 18% growth in less than a year

Nigeria's most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, has confirmed its billing as the fastest growing telecommunications network in the country, as it marks six years of operations with a rise in its active subscriber base from 17 million as at December 2013 to 20 million.

Noting that this represents an 18% growth rate, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, described the growth as a significant milestone, attributable to the loyalty of Nigerians to Etisalat’s innovative products and services..

“I must emphasize that the remarkable growth we have recorded is a direct result of two factors - the loyalty and warmth of our millions of customers and the commitment of our staff, who serve as a vital link in the chain which drives our operations. We remain committed to constantly improving our products and service delivery,” an elated Willsher noted.

In just six years of operations, Etisalat has become a major industry player despite the highly competitive nature of the Nigerian telecoms market. The company has introduced a wide variety of innovative and unparalleled products and services such as the first-of-its-kind educational tool in the youth market, Cliqlite; the first loyalty proposition in the Nigerian telecommunication industry, Etisalat GEM and the new state of the art Gold Series and Flagship Experience Centres.

The company also has a sterling reputation for customer service and is the only telecoms operator in Nigeria that continually exceeds all the quality benchmarks set by the industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Affordable Lumia 530 Launched in Nigeria with #PowerPromo

Microsoft Devices Group has announced that customers, who purchase its latest and most affordable smartphone, Lumia 530, running on the latest Windows Phone 8.1 OS are in for a big win in the #PowerPromo which kicks off on Friday, October 24th.

Business Manager, Gear, Microsoft Mobile Devices, West and Central Africa, Mario Okonya disclosed that customers who purchase the new Lumia 530 smartphone from key retail outlets and online stores will stand a chance to win Bang by Coloud mini speakers.

The outlets and online stores include Slot, Park N Shop, Everyday Emporium, Mega Plaza, Jumia.com, Konga.com, and Ringo Telecomms Ltd.

The newly launched Lumia 530 smartphone features include the one swipe notifications from Action Center and the award winning Word Flow keyboard. It is built with a powerful quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that delivers fast user experience which makes navigation on the device seamless. The Lumia 530 will also help users enjoy their favourite apps, gaming and internet browsing session on the 4-inch LCD display with no interruptions.

Okonya stated that the promo was introduced to enable customers enjoy an amazing experience while using the devices and be able to share their musical moments. “Our customers are at the heart of our business and just as we are noted for quality and affordable product offerings, we also felt we should give back to our loyal consumers, introducing the #PowerPromo which will put more power in the hands in the hands of the consumers.”

Speaking on the launch of the device, Communications Manager, Microsoft Mobile Devices and Services, West and Central Africa, Fred Oriunuebho stated that with the Lumia 530 smartphone which is the most affordable in the Lumia portfolio, Microsoft has extended its innovations to more users across the world.

“Lumia 530 is a sleek, portable but yet a powerful device that comes with our Lumia signature apps and Microsoft services such as Skype and Microsoft Office, Instagram, WhatsApp and others. We are moving quickly to help more people experience the uncompromised Lumia technologies, third party apps, and Microsoft services that we deliver on our flagship products. Lumia 530 underscores our commitment to making affordable smartphones for everyone, and introducing more people to the best of Microsoft” Oriunuebho added.

He further added that the “Dual SIM 3G variant allows for easy switching between two SIM cards and helping people manage their data costs. The Lumia 530 gives yet another edge which is smooth performance with signature Lumia apps such as Creative Studio and Glam Me, which help people take quality voice-guided selfies with the 5MP rear camera.”

Another outstanding future of the device is the 4GB on-board memory that comes with it that is expandable with SD cards of up to 128GB, and an additional 15GB of free cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive that lets people sync, store, access and share files between Lumia 530 and computers, laptops and tablets.

The Lumia 530 comes with changeable cover shells in bright orange, bright green and stylish neutrals dark grey and white and is available in all authorised retail outlets in Nigeria.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Google shares everyday uses of its online tools at “Google House”

The “Google House” initiative aims to provide a platform through which everyone can experience firsthand how apps and gadgets could improve everyday living. The 2012 survey data by Research in Africa ICT revealed that over 40% of the people who do not use the internet, don’t go online because they don’t think the internet is relevant to them. Most have never used the internet before, and don’t think they need it.

Google held its “Google House” event in Nigeria from the 14-16th October 2014 at the imposing Churchgate building in Victoria Island, Lagos. The event which hosted over 400 guests from government, media, education and content creation sectors was the first to hold in Africa.


Commenting on the Google House initiative, Affiong Osuchukwu, Google’s Country Marketing Manager said “our goal is to introduce Nigerians to the Google brand, as well as our key features like Voice Search, Maps (and Google Now) via the Google Search App as well as YouTube, Google+, and Play.” He added that the Google Nigeria team aims to show Nigerians how Google can be a smart intelligent assistant, making everyday life simpler for everyone. “We want everyone that attends to feel that they are entering a better, easier, smarter world powered by the Internet and Google” he added.

The Google House Nigeria was sectioned into over five rooms; Kitchen, Living room, Teen room, Business professional room and travel room”, with a sixth called the Future Room set aside for visitors to try out Google Earth and other recent technologies like Cardboard and Google Glass.

Also explaining, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager West Africa said “Everyone should be able to use technology to make their lives easier. We have seen that there is more that can be done with mobile devices beyond making / receiving of calls or browsing the internet. Our mobile devices can assume the role of a personal assistants that help us get more efficient. At the Google House, we aimed to make a practical connection between technology through Google tools and everyday Nigerian life”. “From being able to plan your day’s journey using Google Maps & Nav, helping the kids with homework and assignments using Google Drive, and getting help with everyday kitchen chores via Google voice search, we have shown that Google can be an assistant” he added.


Some of the top highlights from the 3-day demo-event were the kitchen demonstrations by celebrity chefs; Tolu Eros and Uzo Amuta who took turns showing attendees how to use Google in the Kitchen. Their demos included using Google Voice to set reminders, finding recipes, research health benefits of different foods and also make food-related conversations that many people find “puzzling”

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Pictures from Guinness Presentation to Lagos State on Lagos No Horn Day

Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Transportation, Lagos State, Kayode Opeifa and Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Michael Onuoha at the Guinness Presentation of T.shirts to the Ministry of Transportation on Tuesday October 14, 2014 in support of the Horn Free Day in Lagos state

(L-R); Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Transportation, Lagos State, Kayode Opeifa, Head of Public Policy and Public Affairs, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Michael Onuoha and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Transport Education, Dr. Mariam Masha at the Guinness Presentation of T.shirts to the Ministry of Transportation on Tuesday October 14,2014 in support of the Horn Free Day in Lagos state

(L-R); Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Transportation,Lagos State, Kayode Opeifa, Head of Public Policy and Public Affairs, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Michael Onuoha and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Transport Education, Dr. Mariam Masha at the Guinness Presentation of T.shirts to the Ministry of Transportation on Tuesday October 14,2014 in support of the Horn Free Day in Lagos state

Google is making selfless efforts to make Nigeria and the entire world a better place to stay

L-R: Country Marketing Manager, Google Nigeria , Affiong Osuchukwu; Professional Photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi and Google Celebrity Chef, Chef Eros at day 3 of the Google House Exclusive Demo event organized by Google Nigeria held in Lagos today.

L-R: Media Technologist, Google Enabler, Chimdi Chiezukwa; Country; Marketing Manager, Google Nigeria , Affiong Osuchukwu; Professional Photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi and Google Celebrity Chef, Chef Eros at day 3 of the Google House Exclusive Demo event organized by Google Nigeria held in Lagos today.

L-R:General Manager, Churchgate Tower, Ramoh Contec; Vice President, Churchgate Tower; Marketing Manager, Google Nigeria , Affiong Osuchukwu and Kunle Idowu (Frank Donga), Film Maker at day 3 of the Google House Exclusive Demo event organized by Google Nigeria held in Lagos today.

Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade excitedly giving out gifts to Corona Group of Schools Pupils who were at day 3 of the Google House Exclusive Demo event organized by Google Nigeria held in Lagos today.

Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade and cross session of attendees at 3rd day of the Google House Exclusive Demo event organized by Google Nigeria held in Lagos today.

Pupils of Corona Group of Schools and Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade at day 3 of the Google House Exclusive Demo event organized by Google Nigeria held in Lagos today.

W-TEC,Intel empower students to mark International Day of the Girl Child

Women’s Technology Centre (W.TEC) in partnership with Intel, Oracle and IDEA Hub organized a session to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child. The event which held at IDEAS Hub, Lagoshad in attendance young secondary school girls from various schools in Lagos state.

The event witnessed capacity building and skills acquisition in the field of information and communication technology for participants. The girls were taught blogging, scratch programming, animation and mobile apps development.

Organizer of the event who doubles as Founder and Executive Director of W.TEC, OreoluwaSomoluLesi explained that the event was organized to highlight women’s achievements in the area of information technology and to serve as a forum to inspire and encourage girls to consider careers in the growing field of ICT. She added that it was also a platform to correct the misconception that girls are not fit for the study of technology.

In her address at the event, Market Development Manager, Intel Corporation, OlasimboOlatoregun reiterated the company’s commitment to the education of the girl child. She stressed that the Intel’s decision to partner with W.TEC, Oracle and IDEA Hub to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child was to further emphasise Intel’s commitment to helping the girl child realize her potentials in the field of technology and to help girls speak up against discrimination and abuse.

In her words: “Intel aims to bridge the gap in technology between boys and girls. Intel encourages girls never to limit their thinking and that is why Intel organizes The Intel® She Will Connect program which aims to close the Internet gender gap, connecting millions of girls and women to opportunity in technology”

One of the participants at the event Rita Ononiwu commended W.Techand thanked the organizers and sponsors of the event for the opportunity to attend the session at no cost.

The women’s Technology Empowerment Centre, W.TEC, is a Nigerian non-governmental organization working to empower girls and women socially and economically, using information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Friday, October 3, 2014

Etisalat Backs 2014 Inspiration FM Summer Concert

Nigeria’s fastest growing and most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, has reaffirmed its dedication to developing entertainment in Nigeria with its sponsorship of the second edition of the Inspiration FM Summer Concert which held recently at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The Head, Events and Sponsorship at Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani, noted that the company’s sponsorship of the concert is a demonstration of its commitment to delighting its customers.

According to her, “At Etisalat, our customer-centric philosophy drives all our activities, including the programs we sponsor and the partners we identify with. The Inspiration FM Summer Concert meets our customers’ needs for recreation by providing an opportunity to relax and unwind while enjoying great musical performances from top Nigerian musical artistes”.

The Chief Executive Officer, Inspiration FM, Soni Irabor, expressed appreciation for Etisalat’s support, noting that the company had contributed greatly to the success of the event. Irabor added that the 2014 Summer Concert had provided a unique avenue for people to network and bond in a fun, stress-free atmosphere.

The 2014 Inspiration FM Summer Concert featured great performances from top Nigerian artistes including TuFace, 9ice, Burna Boy, Ice Price, Seyi Shay and DJ Jimmy Jatt and Winners from Etisalat Sponsored Nigerian idols seasons 3 and 4, Evelyn Zibili (Evelle) and Moses Adigwe (Teddy Bear).

Etisalat Connects With Subscribers at Abuja Customer Forum

Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, held its first ever Customer Forum for business customers in Abuja last week as it continues to solidify its relationship with subscribers across the country.

The bi-monthly regional forum enables Etisalat to track performance on customer satisfaction by soliciting genuine feedback from customers on its service delivery and offerings.

According to the Director Customer Care; Plato Syrimis, Etisalat Customer Forum has successfully brought the network closer to its customers. “We are proud to describe Etisalat as a listening brand. We believe that a forum of this sort is an important way of showing our subscribers that we value their opinion.”

He added that the Customer Forum has yielded valuable information that could improve Etisalat’s existing services. “Some subscribers have provided important information about the services we currently offer while others have suggested offerings they would like us to include in our portfolio in order to serve them better,” Syrimis disclosed.

IT and Communications expert, Deji Lepe, who attended the Customer Forum at Abuja, expressed delight at Etisalat’s unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. “Such devotion to customers is rare in Nigeria” Lepe noted. “ My company had tried all the other networks before switching to Etisalat and I must confess that we always derive value for every kobo spent on the network,” he pointed out.

Lepe also explained that being on the EasyBusiness Closed User Group (CUG) subscription, a package designed by Etisalat for SMEs in Nigeria, has improved communication among members of his staff. “We no longer have to worry about spending a fortune on communication; with the Easybusiness CUG lines my staff can call each other for free.” he concluded.

Subscribers who attended the Forum smiled home with a variety of gifts including mobile phone devices, recharge cards, power banks, MiFi devices, USB drives and other branded items.

The next Etisalat Customer Forum is scheduled to hold this October 2014.

I Cee Technology


Watch Short Video About the Event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK2JdfjcgfU&feature=youtu.be

Register here:
http://www.mapando.com.ng/