JOHANNESBURG - South African multinational mobile telecommunications company MTN said it was making a capital investment of $1.6 billion over the next three years to strengthen and expand its network and operations in Nigeria.
MTN issued the statement late on Wednesday after its group chairman Mcebisi Jonas, MTN Nigeria chairman Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, group CEO Rob Shuter and MTN Nigeria CEO Ferdi Moolman met Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and key government officials.
“We are steadfast about our investments in Nigeria, particularly over the next three years as we aim to strengthen and expand our network and systems," Jonas said.
"We are fully aligned with the strategic agenda of the Nigerian government and are committed to strengthening the digital economy of the country."
MTN operates in 17 African countries, with more than 200 million customers.
Buhari said his government was committed to providing an enabling environment for businesses to succeed and also looking at ways to increase security across critical national infrastructure.
He applauded MTN's support of Nigeria's digital inclusion programmes and its commitment to growing the telecommunications industry across the region.
“Financial inclusion and access to funding and digital services all become easier when our continent is powered by connectivity," MTN's Shuter said.
"The benefits of a connected continent are far reaching, making a positive impact across Africa. We can not achieve this goal on our own, and are working on strengthening relationships with our key partners to extend access to comprehensive and affordable solutions to all."