African broadband growth is escalating rapidly due to telecom investments, making it the future of mobile technology, according to Nigerian network operator Etisalat.
Steve Evans, Chief Executive at Etisalat Nigeria, announced the company’s prediction of 40 percent compound annual growth for African mobile broadband by 2015 at the AfricaCom awards presentation last weekend.
Evans referred to reports compiled by technology analyst Ovum in discussing the continual growth across the continent as supported by governments and stakeholders.
“Africa has shown enormous potential for growth in mobile broadband services and analysts say that if the success in the GSM services is anything to go by, stakeholders predict a boom in broadband services in the continent.
“Already, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) is spearheading efforts at creating an enabling environment for the development of broadband in the country,” Richard Hurst, Senior Analyst at Ovum Emerging Markets, said.
Etisalat was presented the prize cheque recently as winners of the Innovation category at the AfricaCom conference, which took place in November 2012 in Cape Town, for the most innovative product or service and idea to encourage and promote broadband adoption and usage in Nigeria and Africa.
“This sponsorship is a unique one for us because of our desire to offer more to our customers beyond the business of telephony. We also realise that even though customers primarily want to enjoy the products and services on offer by Etisalat, they also want to know that we not only care for them, but also the wider environment in which we operate,” Evans said.
