The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria on Tuesday said that the change of Etisalat Nigeria’s brand name was essential for effective transition.
ALTON’s Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the change of name was part of the transition process for the telecommunications company.
Adebayo said: “As part of the change process that the brand is going through, change of brand name is a part of the issues that should be resolved.
“It is all part of the transition process they are currently going through.
“As you know, the company has a new management team; it also has a new board of directors.
“And we will expect that part the issues that should be dealt with in the cause of resolution of all the problems is the brand related issue.”
Adebayo said that the change of the brand name would not have a significant impact on the operation of the company because it was just an identity.
According to him, Etisalat is a global identity that has succeeded in Nigeria.
He explained: “But the fact of the matter is that there has to be a change and we hope that the change will be for the good of it.
“Experience has shown that subscribers are not looking for identity; they are looking for quality of service.
“In whatever umbrella they operate in going further, once they able to sustain the pace of the quality of service they have been offering, I don’t see why their subscribers base should decline.
“The challenge for them is that while they go through this process, they must do all in their best to ensure that the quality of service is not affected, hence it will not negatively affect the subscriber base.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports since the month of March, Etisalat Nigeria has been having issues with consortium of 13 banks, over the payment 1.2 billion dollar loan.
Etisalat Group had on Monday given Etisalat Nigeria three weeks ultimatum to stop the usage of its brand name.
The Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd, trading as Etisalat Nigeria has however informed its customers that the change of brand name would not affect its operations.
Ibrahim Dikko, the Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, EMTS said that the telecommunications company would continue to stay true to its “Naijacentric identity’’.
Telecoms association says change of name essential for Etisalat Nigeria
