3rd September, 2014
Daniels Ekugo
As part of effort to empower more Nigerians in line with its key objective of becoming Nigeria’s number one mobile Internet operator, Airtel Nigeria, has announced an empowerment initiative that focuses on creating awareness for ICT use and uptake in the rural areas across the country.
The programme, Boost ICT Usage in Rural Areas, is designed to help consumers living in or visiting the designated locations in these underserved communities to have first-hand experience of the company’s unequalled data services with no financial implications to the consumers.
According to Airtel, the programme will also assist to facilitate ICT/Data penetration in the country’s rural settlements.
Nigeria has 55,930,391 mobile internet users out of a population of 174,507,539 representing 32.9% penetration rate with heavy concentration in the urban areas.
Airtel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Maurice Newa, said the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between consumers in the rural settings and the world of opportunities before them.
“There is a lot going on across the globe which ordinarily may fall outside the scope of the rural dwellers but which, if they are given the right access, may bring their dreams to fulfilment. So we are providing this trusted platform for them to achieve more’’ he said.
Starting with rural communities in Ebonyi, the Airtel ICT train will criss-cross rural communities in Imo, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa and Rivers.
Others are Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.