‘9Mobile’: Etisalat Nigeria Has A New Name, But Will Its Service Change Too?

Days after the National Communications Commission saved the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service, EMTS (known as Etisalat Nigeria), from collapse, over its $1.2bn loan repayment challenges, the licensing company for the mobile network, Etisalat International earlier this week gave the Nigerian arm three weeks to discontinue the use of “Etisalat” as the brand name.

Last week, the company got a new board and management team, and this week, reports have come inthat the mobile network has changed its brand name.

The network formerly known as Etisalat Nigeria, will now be called 9Mobile. The new name was adopted today at the telco’s management meeting, probably in a bid to stabilize the company. It may take some getting used to but, at the very least, it is in line with their popular “0809ja” advertisements. The name change is not without its complications, the NCC has earlier warned that a takeover or change of brand name may have complications due to the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act.

But users will have questions. How does this affect the millions of people using the network? Will they have to change their numbers? Will they still be able to make calls? How about the internet, and the quality of service? Etisalat Nigeria 9Mobile is assuring its users that there will be no adverse effects on its service to users. I guess we’ll have to see.