New owners of Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited, the Helios Investment Partners (HIP) has proclaimed the formal 100 per cent acquisition of the company with the naming of citizen telecom expert, Mr. Demola Eleso as the new chief executive officer.
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| Ijeoma Abazie, Martin Dirks, chair; Dem Eleso, CEO speaking, Gab Olaruwaju |
Chairman of Multi-Links’ Board of Directors, Mr. Martin
Dirks, who made this disclosure in Lagos, said that they have successfully
acquired Multi-Links by a 100 per cent equity interest since October 3, 2011
from its previous shareholder, Telkom South Africa.
He noted that the acquisition of Multi-Links by HIP began in
August 2011 following the agreement reached between HIP Oils, an affiliate of
Helios Towers Nigeria with Multi-Links, which has now been brought to a
successful end.
With investment in excess of $1.9 billion, about
N301,245,011,878.26 billion worth of assets, Mr. Dirks said there exist some
investors.
He listed some of these investors in the funds to include
the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC), International Finance
Corporation (IFC), African Development Bank (AfDB), Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC), a United States’ Washington-based government agency that
assets businesses looking to invest abroad and the University of Texas among
others.
Mr. Dirks also used the opportunity unveil the new chief
executive officer of Multi-Links, Mr. Eleso, whom he said, would be assisted
and supported by Mr. Gabriel Olaruwaju as the chief marketing officer, Mrs.
Ijeoma Abazie, the chief corporate communication officer as well as the chief
finance officer, Mr. Simon Poole.
According to him, HIP has communication market operating
experiences in Angola, Namibia, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau- GSM; whereas
having fixed line operations in Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau; Internet service
providers in Angola and Mozambique; and printed directories business in Kenya,
Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde.
While its affiliate operations comprised of Helios Towers
Nigeria (HTN), Africatel and Helios Towers Africa.
He explained that HTN, a pioneer specialist on building and
maintaining telecommunications towers and leasing spaces on those towers to
wireless telecommunications services providers across Nigeria, enables
operators to outsource non-core activities and passive infrastructure and focus
resources on improving their core products and services.
He pointed out that the long transition leading to HIP’s
acquisition of Multi-Links caused uncertainty about the brand that impacted
Multi-Links’ brand and resulted in churn on Multi-Links’ network, hence the
appointment of new management team.
In his comment, the new CEO, Mr. Eleso assured Nigerian
customers on Multi-Links and investment on focused reclaiming of its former
glory based on improved quality of service and return on investment.
His team, Eleso noted, is not unaware of the churn witnessed
by the brand, therefore, they would not encourage investors to throw money at
the network, rather they have to join forces with the management to make
certain that Multi-Links returns on its heels and stand firm.
This, he said, would encourage the anticipated expansion
programme of the network and its services beyond the 22 states of the
federation currently along other communities.
He plans to explore data and capacity carrier market of the
Multi-Links fibre optic, enjoining potential dealers and carriers of telecom
capacity to approach them for good offering.
Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
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