Though Etisalat is considered the youngest operator in Nigeria’s competitive telecommunication market, which houses MTN, Africa’s largest mobile operator, the UAE-based operator has been nurturing a steady growth in subscriber base during its six-year reign, climbing to 20 million users last month. This is an 18 percent growt from 2013 year ending figures.

As at mid-2013, it had 15 million subscribers tied to its network, a 25 percent difference from its recently announced numbers. This means that in the last 21 months, Etisalat has added an equivalent of about 240,000 subscribers every month.

“I must emphasise that the remarkable growth we have recorded is a direct result of two factors – the commitment of our staff, who serve as a vital link in the chain which drives our operations, and the loyalty and warmth of our millions of subscribers. We can only respond to them by constantly improving our products and service delivery,” said Matthew Willsher, CEO of Etisalat Nigeria.

A novice in the Nigerian telecom space, Etisalat moved quickly to position itself as the ideal operator for deal-seeking users, offering an extensive array of discount call deals and mobile top-up bonuses. This quickly earned it the trust of many, who according to World Bank live below the poverty line, and as such scout attractive deals for mobile calls.

It also invested heavily in improving data services to increase speed, spread and consistency of service. The Quality of Service report released recently in Abuja stated that Etisalat recorded the highest call set up rate of 98.09 percent.

But its most recent break came following the launch of the Mobile Number Portability, a service launched by the country’s industry regulator Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC). The innovative service allows mobile users to switch between operators without disposing their mobile numbers.

Since its launch, Etisalat, the country’s fourth largest operator, has topped the gainers list, attracting the most port-ins. Data from the NCC showed that of the total 20,239 port-ins recorded during May and June, Etisalat gained 8,775. This represents 43 percent of the total port-ins.

Nigeria is home to the continent’s largest mobile market with over 125 million users and a mobile penetration rate surging beyond 75 percent.


http://www.ventures-africa.com/2014/10/etisalat-is-nigerias-fastest-growing-mobile-operator/