The group has given just three weeks for Etisalat Nigeria to get a new identity. Following the divestments of parent body, Etisalat of UAE and Mubadala, chairman of the board of the company, Hakeem Bello-Osagie and top executives of the company, penultimate week, resigned, paving the way for a new management team which came into place just last week.
After the new board was put in place, it appeared normalcy had returned to the embattled company, Monday, when chief executive of United Arab Emirates based Etisalat International, Hatem Dowidar, announced a complete withdrawal of Etisalat in the Nigerian telecoms sector. This followed the termination of a management agreement with Etisalat Nigeria and subsequent withdrawal of all UAE shareholders.
In an interview with Reuters, Dowidar confirmed that, “all UAE shareholders of Etisalat Nigeria have exited the company and have left the board and management.” He also disclosed that discussions were ongoing with Etisalat Nigeria to provide technical support, however, the Nigerian company can only use the brand for another three weeks before phasing it out completely.
EMTS reacts: However, the Nigerian company seems to be calling the bluff of its UAE estranged partner. Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, Ibrahim Dikko, said, “EMTS has a valid and subsisting agreement with the Etisalat Group, which entitles EMTS to use the Etisalat brand, notwithstanding the recent changes within the Company.
