Press Release

MTN Congratulates Lagos Street Soccer Champion

The leading telecommunications company in Nigeria, MTN has congratulated planners FC, winner of the maiden edition of the MTN Street Soccer Champions. The competition, which climaxed last weekend, in a pulsating encounter that saw the ajegunle team emerge the MTN Lagos Street Soccer Champion after beating , Bolowotan FC of Ikorodu in a nerve racking penalty shoot-out at the Elegbata playing ground, Lagos Island.

The explosive final match lived up to its billings with several displays of skill as players on both sides competed to win the ultimate prize. With this victory, planners FC will embark on a playing tour of brazil, in addition to the cash prize of N 2 million. The runners up, Bolowotan FC of Ikorodu will tour of South africa in addition to a cash prize of N1 million. The third place winner, SS2 Football Club with 2-1 victory over Turning point gets the reward of 750 thousand naira and a playing tour of Ghana.

The Lagos State Government had earlier in the year, collaborated with MTN to launch the Street Soccer championship in order to identify, and encourage new talents, giving hope to young footballers. The tournament, which ran from May through November 2008, were played across all the local government areas in the State.

according to Wale Goodluck, the Corporate Services Executive, MTN, the MTN Soccer Champions initiative is a demonstration of the company’s commitment to developing grass root football in Nigeria and harnessing the abundance of local talent in this field. Speaking at the event, Mr akin braithwaite, the Customer Relations Executive, MTN said “We are happy to partner with the Lagos State Government on this project which is aimed at boosting social transformation among the youths in the State. as a good corporate citizen, MTN is committed to engaging the youth in a meaningful way and help them realize their dreams.

During his presentation, the Speaker, Lagos State House of assembly, Hon. adeyemi Ikuforiji representing Governor Babatunde Fashola enjoined the players to remain focused in their aspirations and, pledged the State government’s support. “…this will go a long way in molding the foundation of City Teams that will give birth to our own Manchester United, arsenals, Chelsea’s and others”, he reiterated.

It will be recalled that MTN Nigeria has been in the forefront of developing sports in Nigeria .In addition to football, MTN has committed tremendous resources to resuscitate the marathon sport, as well as raised standards in the games of polo, and Golf. The company has also assisted Nigerian Referees by sponsoring a number of capacity building workshops and it has also maintained strong partnerships with the Nigeria Football association (NFa).

The MTN Group, which MTN Nigeria is part of , has championed the african Nations Cup over the last three years and is the first and only indigenous african corporate organization to sponsor the FIFa World Cup, taking place in South africa in 2010

MTN Identifies with 2008 IGUE Cultural Festival

In its avowed commitment to preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, MTN Nigeria has once again thrown its weight behind the successful hosting of this year’s Igue festival of the ancient Bini Kingdom

MTN, the acknowledged leader of the Nigerian telecoms industry, sees the Igue festival as one that the people hold in high esteem and has therefore chosen to appreciate and identify with what adds value to the lives of its teeming subscribers in Edo State and Nigeria as a whole.

Mr Bola akingbade, Chief Marketing and Strategy Executive, MTN Nigeria, said that MTN’s sponsorship of Igue Cultural Festival is in line with the company’s commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of the Binis as well as contribute to the development of huge tourism potentials in the land.” He noted that “Igue is a major cultural festival that promotes the unification of the people of the Bini Kingdom, and as a Nigerian company, we cannot but partner with the traditional rulers of this great kingdom to celebrate their history

The Igue festival is an annual event around which the very essence of Bini customs and traditions are celebrated. The festival is said to be as old as the Bini kingdom itself and dates back to more than 500 years. Every year, the festival brings together all the sons and daughters of the kingdom both at home and in the Diaspora.

akingbade further disclosed that the company has put in place a number of activities that would add glamour and fun to the festival and give it an international flavour that will attract local and international tourists to the land.

Some of the activities include quiz competition between the secondary school students in Benin City, which will centre on Bini cultural heritage, and football match, which will centre on local talents hunt. all these are lined up to season the traditional procession of the Chiefs and traditional rulers before the Oba.

MTN has been at the forefront of promoting Nigerian culture to the outside world through the company’s sponsorship of cultural activities that seek to bring out the tourism potentials of the country. The company has successfully sponsored the Lisabi festival in Ogun State; the Ikeji festival of the arondiziogu people of Imo State, and the annual Osun Osogbo festival, among several others.

MTN bags NIMN award for marketing excellence

In continuation of its winning streak, Nigeria’s leading telecommunications company, MTN has been awarded the National award for Marketing Excellence (NaME) in the GSM category by the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN). The award was presented to MTN by the president of the institute, Chief Lugard E.a aimiuwu as a climax of the 2008 edition of the prestigious awards held in Lagos recently.

The NIMN instituted the awards with the sole objective of identifying, recognising, rewarding and celebrating excellence in market practice among the individual and corporate members of the institute. This year’s edition was unique in that the onus of identifying the best marketing practice and the winners in the various categories was left with consumers who are the target of such marketing initiatives by various brands.
In this regard, ahead of this year’s colourful award ceremony which was graced by marketing professionals, captains of industry and technocrats from across the country, the NIMN carried out a nationwide consumer research on all brands marketed in Nigeria. "Such brands which come under 22 categories cover capital and consumer goods as well as physical products and services,” said Mr. Uche aligbe, Chairman, NaME 2008 organising committee. In the estimation of the consumers, MTN came tops in the keenly contested Global System for Mobile communications category.

It would be recalled that MTN had been similarly adjudged the best brand in the telecommunications industry by the institute in 2005. Many of the marketing initiatives of the company have variously won accolades locally and internationally since the company began commercial operation in Nigeria. Last October MTN won two Gold awards, two Silver awards and three bronze awards at the Lagos advertising and Ideas Festival (LaIF) in the categories of the Best press advert (Corporate Image), Best press advert (Telecom services), Best TV Commercial (Telecoms services), Best Outdoor Communication, among others. “We are very delighted to receive this endorsement from Nigerian consumers and would like to reiterate our commitment to tirelessly improve our offerings at the marketplace to justify the confidence they have reposed in us,” said Mr. Bola akingbade, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria. He also thanked the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria for the catalytic role they are playing in enthroning best marketing practices in Nigeria.

IT Telecom Digest Reporter Clinches MTN prize at NMMa

Oluwaseun Igbalode, Senior Reporter of IT Telecom Digest has emerged the star winner of the MTN prize for Telecommunications Reporter of the Year, at the 2008 edition of the Nigerian Media Merit award (NMMa) which held recently at tropicana Hotel, Kano. Igbalode, who was the runner up in the same category in the 2007 edition of the prestigious NMM awards , beat Chikodi Okereocha, Staff Writer with the broad Street Journal, first runner up, and George Umumakwe, of the Source magazine, the second runner up to emerge winner.

For this feat, Igbalode won an Hp pavilion Laptop provided by MTN Nigeria. The first and second runners-up also went home with one Blackberry phone plus three months subscription, and a 10 megapixel digital camera respectively, courtesy of MTN.
presenting the prizes to the winners at the glittering ceremony, andrew Okeleke, External Communications Manager, MTN Nigeria, speaking on behalf of the Corporate Services Executive, Wale Goodluck, commended the three nominees and remarked that all the three nominees in the Telecommunications category endowed by MTN six years ago should also be regarded as winners.
according to him, “MTN recognizes their dedication and contribution to the development of telecommunications industry through their insightful reports and analysis. That is why we have empowered them with these prizes which are the primary tools for modern journalistic practice.”

It will be recalled that in 2006, MTN reviewed its endowment of the Telecommunications Reporter of the year category to include the winner, and the first and second runners-up. according to Okeke, this was done to encourage excellence in the reporting of the telecommunications industry by recognizing a wider pool of talent..

In his address, alhaji alade Odunewu, Chairman, NMMa, described the NMMa as the most prestigious Media award ceremony in Nigeria, established to promote excellence in the media. He said that the NMMa had’ over the years earned the recognition and respect of the media industry, the Government, and corporate bodies, among others."
according to him, the role of the NMMa is to identify individuals, groups, and organizations that demonstrate their commitment to the pursuit of excellence and honor them in a befitting way. He expressed his heartfelt thanks to MTN for their long standing interest and participation in the Nigeria Media awards.

Millionaires emerge in MTN's treasure Hunt promo

SEVEN subscribers have emerged as millionaires from MTN latest promo, treasure Hunt. at the colourful event held at Event Centre, Lagos last Thursday, the winners were presented their cheques by the company's General Manager, Consumer Marketing, Mr. Kolawole Oyeyemi. Oyeyemi said the promo was organised by MTN to expand the frontiers of wealth creation for Nigerians, adding that the multiplier effects, among others is that the beneficiaries would live a better life while members of their families would also reap from it. He said that close to 10 people stand the chance of benefiting directly or indirectly form the prize money of each of the millionaires. To participate in the promo, a subscriber must be on the MTN network and text treasure Hunt to 77777 and receive an auto response. The customer is expected to keep hunting for the treasure by responding to texts received and accumulating his or her points. MTN will contacts participant on that day after the draw. This implies that Monday's winners will be sent to every participant on Tuesday. Similarly, the N2 million weekly winner will be sent to those that featured in the contest for the week. The grand prize-winner of N10 million will be sent to all contestants at the end of the 100 days that the promo will last. The first winners in the draw were Edward agu, Babatunde abidogun, Mrs. Winnie Ugadu, Lawal Sadi, Raheem Ibrahim, Cajetan aniekwe and . Mrs. adeola Eludire. Other consolation prizes are 70 plasma television sets, 70 DVD players and 70 mobile phones. One of the millionaires, Sadi, said he would use his money to build his house while Mrs. Eludire plans to invest in her children's education. Oyeyemi said that the promo was designed to reward MTN customers during this festive season, adding that the company is committed to giving back to the Nigerian people and the economy.

MTN One World Debuts

MTN, leading african telecom service provider, has concluded plans to launch its innovative seamless roaming services across international borders for prepaid and postpaid aptly called MTN One World. The launch will be spiced up with high-profile entertainment by american music idol, JT Taylor of the “Kool and the Gang” fame.

according to Bola akingbade, Chief marketing officer (CMO), MTN Nigeria, “with MTN One World, customers visiting any of these West african countries -Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin, where the service would initially be available, will pay the rates applicable to local subscribers in the countries being visited and not have to buy new starter packs in the host countries”. He added that such customers will also receive incoming calls free of charge.

The launch is put together on the platform of MTN Xtraspecial, Xtrapro products, which are designed to meet the needs of accomplished individuals and successful young professionals.
The launch will take place at the International Conference Center, abuja on Wednesday, November 12 and second one at the Oceanview Gardens in Lagos on Friday, the 14th.
akingbade noted that the service has become necessary because of the growing volume of cross-border movements within the West african sub-region due to increasing trade and tourists activities. With this, there is an increasing desire for non-disruptive experience over the use of telephones across borders.

In addition to MTN One World, SIM plus, 3.5G Fasklink Data Card and MTN Video Camera are other products that would be unveiled in the exclusive event for MTN Nigeria’s high value customers. MTN SIM plus is another robust service that enables customers have access to instant information on the go. The sim-based service is an enhanced 128k capacity sim for value -added services.
Some of the services include flight updates, Job vacancies, commodity prices, news alerts, cinema schedules, etc. Other MTN services that are readily accessed are checking of balances, Migration to packages, share ‘n’ sell etc.

american music idol, JT Taylor of the “Kool and the Gang” fame would be in the abuja and Lagos launch to thrill the guests with the group’s inspiring and ever-green songs.