Nigeria’s telecommunications giant, Globacom, turns 19 on August 29, 2022. Looking back at what the company has achieved and the kind of humongous impact it has made on people’s lives and businesses, it is difficult to believe it is just 19 years old.
Founded on August 29, 2003, by multi-billionaire business mogul, Dr Mike Adenuga, Jr., Globacom has not only transformed the telecoms sector with its technological infrastructure, product innovations and quality service delivery, but it has also shown unparalleled commitment to improving the lives of its customers. Its empowerment initiatives cut across Innovation and Affordability, which have given millions of Nigerians access to telephony and allied services, Entertainment, Sports and Promotions, and Festivals, among others.
Innovation and Affordability
Glo was the only operator in Africa to launch its operations on the superior 2.5G network which enabled the convergence of voice, data and multimedia technologies. But more importantly, it launched operations on Per Second Billing, thus ensuring subscribers only pay for actual time spent on a call instead of the practice of billing customers N50 per minute event when the call cuts off at just 2 seconds. It also crashed the cost of SIM cards from N30,000 to N6,999 and later N100, thereby making it possible for low-income earners, students and artisans are able to own a GSM line today.
With its massive investments in building over 20,000 kilometres of fibre optic backbone across the country, 4G technology and Glo1, the first ever individually owned international submarine cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria, Globacom has availed its subscribers the much-needed internet bandwidth. This has led to what is called the democratization of data. For instance, with just N500, a Glo subscriber will get 2GB of data, with N50 the customer gets 50MB, N100 gives 150MB. For big users on the network, they can get 675GB for N75,000 and 1Tera Byte (TB) for N100,000. The company also gives a double data bonus to Glo subscribers. No wonder it is called the grandmasters of data by admirers!
Apart from boosting internet service to end users, Glo 1 is also providing connectivity to essential sectors of the economy such as oil and gas, manufacturing, banking, commerce, education and health, among others.
ENTERTAINMENT
Globacom has always been associated with the development of the Nigerian music industry, since its inception, from its involvement with Nollywood and leading Nigerian music talents to the sponsorship of music shows such as Rock ‘n’ Rule, GloNaija Sings, Laffta Fest, and the world’s number one music singing talent reality TV show, X Factor. Others are Slide and Bounce Concert, an entertainment tour which went round all the geo-political zones of the country as well as Glo mega Music show, another platform through which Globacom entertains and delights Nigerians.
These programmes are meant to discover and help nurture budding talents. The company also supports the movie industry in Nigeria (Nollywood) and in Ghana (Ghollywood). Many of the actors and actresses in both countries have been chosen as Glo Ambassadors, thus projecting the continent in a refreshing light through African movies.
Only recently, Globacom brought the world’s biggest dance reality show, Battle of the Year, to Nigeria. The winners in seven different categories went home with mega millions in cash, and a space wagon, and also bagged an opportunity to represent at the global edition of the competition.
Indeed, no corporate organization has had the kind of assemblage of entertainment heavyweights as its brand ambassadors as Globacom. All through the years, the cream of the country’s musicians, footballers, actors and comedians have either been signed on as brand ambassadors or featured in the company’s television commercials. The long list includes veterans such as the late Osita Osadebe, late Oliver d’Coque, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezar Obey, Nelly Uchendu, Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Osaze Odemwingie and Emmanuel Emenike. Others are MI Abaga, D’Banj, PSquare, Rita Dominic, Ini Edo, Flavour, Wizkid, Davido, Basketmouth, Gordons, I go Dye, Juliet Ibrahim, Matter Ankomah, Joselyn Dumas, Michael Essien and former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Anthony Joshua.
LIFE-CHANGING PROMOTIONS
One area where Globacom has connected with its subscribers and Nigerians generally is loyalty-reward Promos. Over the years, the company has launched a series of promos through which different types of empowerment prizes have been won by Nigerians across the country. From Glo Overload to Glo Allawee, Text4Millions, Made for Life, Recharge to Stardom, 180 cars in 180 days, Glo CAF Award promo, Recharge and Win Big popularly known as My Own Don Beta, Everyday Bonanza, and Joy Unlimited Extravaganza, Nigerians have benefitted massively from Globacom and many have been empowered through the Glo promos.
Between October 2021, and January 2022, Globacom held a life-changing promotion called Joy Unlimited Extravaganza. Thousands of Glo subscribers won brand new Kia Rio cars, refrigerators, television sets and generators across the country. Altogether, 500,000 prizes were given out.
PROMOTION OF NIGERIA’S CULTURAL HERITAGE
Over the years, Glo has partnered with several communities across the country on the sponsorship of major festivals and the promotion of culture and traditions. These include Ojude Oba in Ijebu-Ode, Ofala in Onitsha, Lisabi in Abeokuta, Imeori in Abriba, Oru – Owerri in Imo State, Afia- Orlu In Nnewi and Abia –Ugwa in Isialangwa in Abia State. Through these sponsorships, Glo is giving a new lease of life to the festivals as well as empowering some lucky individuals in the communities through various prizes won at special promotions held during the festivals. The company has not only brought these festivals to the international limelight but has also turned them into major tourist attractions. This association has helped build up Globacom as an enviable brand.
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