A global independent owner and developer of shared communication infrastructure, IHS Towers, claimed that its operations have earned Nigeria a very strong foothold in the global telecommunications market.
The company made this disclosure in a statement on Tuesday, after meeting with the President, Bola Tinubu, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York recently.
In the statement, the Executive Vice-President, and Chief Human Resource Officer, IHS Towers, Ayotade Oyinlola, said the company’s story epitomised the potential of Nigerian companies on the global stage.
“In an era where connectivity serves as the lifeblood of societies and economies, IHS Towers stands as a beacon of success, demonstrating how a company that started in Nigeria can expand to become a global powerhouse. In a little over two decades, IHS has evolved into a multinational telecom infrastructure giant with operations in 11 countries across three continents and impacting the lives of over 750 million people,” Oyinlola added.
He noted that despite the company’s expansive global footprint, which included a remarkable global tower count of nearly 40,000 across Nigeria, Brazil, Cameroun, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and Zambia, the company proudly maintained its Nigerian identity.
Oyinlola also revealed the various other contributions the company was making towards the growth and development of the country.
“Some of these contributions include being part of the telecommunications sector’s 16.06 percent contribution to the country’s gross domestic products, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.
“Job creation including over 1,100 direct employees and an additional 40,000 indirect employees, including contractors spanning diverse sectors like power/energy utility, logistics, real estate, oil and gas, civil engineering, and core telecommunications in Nigeria,” he disclosed.
Also speaking, the EVP of Communications, IHS Towers, Colby Synesael, further informed that the company plays the role of a global corporate ambassador building investor confidence internationally.
Synesael said: “As the 5th largest independent multinational tower company globally in terms of tower count, IHS exemplifies efficiency and scale. The company made history by becoming the first Nigerian-rooted company to be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, which symbolizes Nigeria’s immense potential on the world stage, fostering global investor engagement, and playing a significant role in educating international investors on the advantages of investing in Nigeria.”
Synesael listed some of the achievements the company has recorded within the telecommunications value chain in the country including lowering entry barriers and enhancing cost-effectiveness for telecommunications stakeholders.
“IHS substantial investments in passive infrastructure, including leasing tower space to providers, such as mobile network operators and internet service providers, has effectively lowered entry barriers and enhanced cost-effectiveness, enabling these providers to expand their operations.
“Also, with the ownership of over 16,000 towers in Nigeria and the deployment of 6,500 kilometers of metro optic fiber across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, IHS has facilitated the expansion of telecom services, ensuring that more Nigerians have access to connectivity than ever before,” Synesael explained.
