MTN, which recently launched its operations in major Nigerian cities, says it will help the city of Lagos recover from the explosion at an arms dump which led to the deaths of hundreds of people.
The latest available count is that 700 people died in a stampede caused by explosions at a munitions store in the city. President Olusegun Obasanjo has appealed for help and donations to a disaster relief fund, but the government expected little help from abroad.
MTN says it has already provided 150 phones to relief workers to help them co-ordinate their efforts. It has established a toll-free call centre through which people can stay updated on rescue efforts and track down missing relatives and friends, and which will also have counsellors on standby to help callers in emotional distress.
MTN Nigeria is also to co-ordinate a fundraising telethon on Nigerian television in mid-February. Pledges from the public will be matched by a consortium of sponsoring companies.
Other donations include supplying victims of the blast with food, sponsoring a group of orphaned children and construction of a memorial.
MTN`s Rawanda operation, MTN RwandaCell, is also to play a role in relief after the eruption of the Goma volcano. Shortly after the disaster, the company set up a tank to supply residents with fresh water and has committed to funding road reconstruction in the town.
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