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Airtel Takes ICT Development to Rural Communities(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Airtel Nigeria has announced an empowerment initiative that focuses on creating awareness for information and communications technology (ICT) use and uptake in the rural areas across the country. The initiative is part of a strategic effort to empower more Nigerians in line with its key objective to boost telecommunication development in rural communities. The programme with the theme, 'Boost ICT Usage in Rural Areas', is designed to help consumers living in or visiting the designated locations in underserved communities to have first-hand experience of the company's data services with no financial implications to the consumers. According to Airtel, the programme would also assist to facilitate ICT/data penetration in the country's rural settlements. Currently, Nigeria has 55,930,391 mobile Internet users out of a population of 174,507,539 representing 32.9 per cent penetration rate with heavy concentration in the urban areas. Speaking about the initiative, Airtel's Chief Commercial Officer, Maurice Newa, said it was designed to bridge the gap between consumers in the rural settings and the world of opportunities before them. "We are pleased by the prospect of ensuring our customers in the rural communities experience data services aimed at enhancing their quality of work and living. As a responsible corporate citizen, we have consistently sought ways of rendering life enriching services to them just like we have done with those in the urban areas," he said. He added: "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 fulfillment. So we are providing this trusted platform for them to achieve more. This initiative is in tandem with our vision of becoming the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians." Newa also assured Nigerians of the company's readiness to lead the drive for internet penetration and uptake especially in the rural areas of the country which has about 50 per cent of the total population but is yet to be covered effectively in terms of access to data services. "As a data-centric operator, we are prepared for the challenge of internet penetration in the rural areas. We have shown leadership with our 3.75G network which is in over 200 cities and towns across the nation," he said. Copyright This Day. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |