The right partnership ethos backed by enabling solutions will ensure companies doing business in Nigeria overcome the challenges and limitations they face in the country, said Bennie Langenhoven, managing executive of Tellumat Telecoms.
“Doing business in Africa is a daunting prospect, with Nigeria near the top of the 'no-sissies' list. And yet the country is an extremely attractive proposition, with sound economic fundamentals and largely untapped potential. The best solutions recognise and overcome the challenges, and focus on helping customers to meet their own challenges. In this way, doing business in Africa can benefit everyone and even Africa as a whole,” he said.
Tellumat's eight years of involvement in Nigeria has taught the company the value of selecting the right partner, Langenhoven said. He believes the company's partnership with cellular provider Starcomms is an example of how companies can be successful in Africa.
“This year, Starcomms had one million subscribers in a country with 138 million citizens. In 2009, its subscriber base is expected to cross the two-million mark, by engaging with partners such as Tellumat and their contact centre platform,” he explained.
“One must prepare for poor infrastructure, such as telecoms coverage, bandwidth, transport and electricity, as well as logistical issues such as the slow release of imported equipment by Nigerian customs officials,” he warned. “But, provided one can absorb delays, plan to overcome obstacles and provide a solution that meets the customer's challenges, the scene will be set for the future success of all concerned.
He added: “There are challenges aplenty. After endorsing a national fibre backbone, the government has backtracked on its plans. Nitel, the state-owned telco, retains a monopoly on international bandwidth through exclusive landing rights of the SAT3 cable, and the unreliability of its links has left the country dependent on satellite connectivity. Due to poor fixed-line roll-out, ADSL penetration remains low. All this has hamstrung a country with the potential to invest heavily and be a connectivity gateway into the West African region.”
With the right partners and a vision for the future, he added, these hurdles can be overcome.
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