N245m 9ijilion prize money was internally generated – Etisalat CEO

The just concluded 9ijilion promo, which cost the fifth Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operator, Etisalat Nigeria, over N245 million was internally generated.

The promo which saw a medical student from University of Jos (UNIJOS) emerging the star prize winner of $1 million, according to the chief executive officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steven Evans, was generated within the Etisalat operations in Nigeria.

ITRealms Online recalls that a fourth-year medical student of University of Jos, Mr. Kizito Eguonu emerged the star winner of the 2009 Etisalat’s 9jillion promo, which ended in Lagos, carting away the sum of $1 million, about N151,006,412.80.

Disclosing this at the 2009 edition of the AfricaCom, which ended in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday, Mr. Evans reiterated the determination of the operator to co-locate infrastructure with other operators in the Nigerian market.

Speaking to newsmen at the International Convention Centre venue of the two-day conferences and exhibition, Mr. Steven Evans, said Etisalat is disposed to the concept of co-location because of its numerous advantages, including maximizing infrastructure deployment where mostly needed, and saving cost of deployment, as well as being ideal for network expansion.

Mr. Evans who had earlier in the day participated actively in the Chief Executive officer (CEO) Roundtable on Investing in initiatives to reach new customers in Africa, noted that achieving this goal requires the sharing of infrastructure, because it is not economically viable to allow every operator to over load a given area rather than extending services to the greater number of the populace.

He also called on the Nigerian operators to embrace co-location as a way of cutting down on their CAPEX, which could be transferred to the customers.

Equally, he urged regulators across Africa and Nigeria particularly to be consistent in its position to propagate this ideology and at the same time expanding the network coverage on the continent.

According to him, Etisalat Nigeria does not have problems, embarking on its own infrastructure deployment, financially but that may not be the best for the sector and country.

Mr. Evans, further said, that the 9ijilion promo was an instant success and every prize used during the month-long promotion was internally generated in Nigeria.

He emphasized that Etisalat has made some inroad with the promo, which has endeared the people of Nigeria more to the network.

He expressed optimism that Etisalat may likely repeat the promo next year, but said that presently they are concerned with the programme mapped out for the winner and would soon unveil to Nigerians the next plan of action concerning the 9ijilion promo for 2010.

With the end of the Etisalat’s 9jillion promo, Mr. Eguonu, already a millionaire in the Etisalat promo has become a $1 million richer.

His cheque was presented at the grand finale in Lagos, by the Chief executive of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steven Evans was accompanied by the Chief executive, First Bank Plc, Mr. Olabisi Onasanya, and Senator Solomon Ganiyu.

Eguonu was overwhelmed by excitement as he jumped into the crowd from the podium. It took the quick intervention of security personnel at the event to calm him down for actual presentation as soon as the grand finale was announced.

ITRealms Online recalls that in the second quarter of this year, Etisalat Nigeria made innovative entry into the nation’s telecommunications sector with estimated N245 million up for grabs in Etisalat’s “Win a Phone” and “9jillions” promos.

While announcing this exciting promotion, the CEO Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Evans had noted that the 3-in-1 promo offers hundreds of Etisalat subscribers the opportunity to win fantastic prizes on the network every hour for 90 days.

“This unique one of a kind promo offers our subscribers an opportunity to win a phone every hour of the day for 90 days beginning from 8 June. Also, 35 lucky Nigerians will be instant millionaires during this promo while one especially lucky Nigerian will win the grand prize of one million US dollars. This country has never seen the likes of the Win a Phone and 9jillions promo before. This further confirms our claim to market innovativeness and also demonstrates one of Etisalat’s core value propositions to its customers: caring,” he said.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D