Telecommunications Giant MTN Set to Give Nigerians 5G-Enabled Smartphones
- MTN Nigeria is rolling out plans to allow Nigerians own 5G-powered smartphones in the country
- The telecommunications giant is partnering with top Original Equipment Manufacturers and retailers to roll out the initiative
- The company said the plan would enable Nigerians to own smartphones that are 5G compliant with ease
Telecoms giant MTN Nigeria said it is beefing up its 5G adoption in Nigeria with a plan that allows Nigerians to own 5G-powered smartphones.
Reports say that the smartphone financing initiative is supported by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as iTel, TECNO, Nokia, Infinix, and others. The company said Nigeria would be able to secure smartphones that are 5G compliant without stress.
Source: Getty Images
Why 5G smartphones are out of reach of Nigerians
Analysts have pointed out the high cost of smartphones, especially 5G-powered phones, as the major obstacle to the adoption of 5G in Nigeria.
PAY ATTENTION: Share your outstanding story with our editors! Please reach us through info@corp.legit.ng!
At a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, the company said it found smartphone financing a major problem for people who wish to acquire gadgets.
The telco firm decided to collaborate with an open platform for smartphone financing in Nigeria, Intelligra, the OEMs, Stanbic IBTC Bank, and other famous retail outlets like SLOT to acquire the phones and pay over some time without any initial deposit.
The company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Adia Sowho stated that smartphones had become the personal computer for many people in Nigeria.
MTN expresses desire to help Nigerians with smartphones
Sowho said that the high costs of the gadgets have made Nigerians out of touch and that factors like foreign exchange fluctuation and shortage of chipsets are driving up the cost of smartphones.
According to her, current financing plans come with many problems, such as high-interest rates and initial upfront deposits.
She added that existing financing initiatives come with many challenges, which include high-interest rates and initial upfront deposits, saying the company has financed over 20,000 devices and would deepen its partnership to drive 5G adoption and growth in the country.
One of the partners, Intelligra stated that smartphone financing is a popular plan in many advanced countries, enabling people to get any device of their choice and pay over time.
In September this year, MTN became the first and sole network provider to launch 5G in Nigeria.
Nigeria became the first of three African countries to deploy the 5G technology after Kenya and South Africa.
MTN says its 5G service is now live at 190 sites across Nigeria
Recall that Legit.ng reported that MTN has said it switched on its highly awaited fifth generation (5G) internet service at 190 sites across Nigeria but mostly in Lagos and Abuja, with some users saying that internet speeds of up to 1.48 per second.
A BusinessDay report says that the launch of the 5G service happened on the same day the Nigeria Communications Commission announced the date of the official rollout of the service across the country.
Reports say that by October, it is expected that MTN’s 5G will be operating at 500-600 sites in Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
