Ntel, the national mobile operator that was created after the merger of defunct MTEL and NITEL, is set to undergo a name change in a new bid by its new management under the leadership of versatile and seasoned mobile operator, Mr Adrian Wood.
Competent sources told eWorldNews that the change is to give the company a new life and identity and place it in a position to compete favourably with existing national operators.
Ntel name change will follow other brands in the Nigerian Mobile market that have undertaken a change in their operational name, such as Airtel, from Econet to Airtel and 9mobile, from Etisalat to 9mobile.
Already, a new management is being set up between now and next month that will pilot the renewed company to profitability. They are also bidding to revive the network which which has not been in operation since about two months ago.
Australian-born Mr Adrian Wood became CEO of MTN in November 2001. He took over from Mr. Karel Pienaar who has returned to South Africa but remains on the board of MTN Nigeria.
Since he left MTN in 2004, Wood has been involved in various communications companies in Nigeria, among them 9Mobile where he vacated as a shareholder in 2019 under controversial circumstances. The 9mobile shares were held by Teleology Holding, a company Wood led then.
Ntel was created in 2015 from the merger and acquisition of NITEL and Mtel under the ownership of a parent company known as NATCOMS. Since its inception of in October 2015, Dr Babatunde Omotoba was listed as one of the founders and MD/CEO of NATCOMS.
In a letter dated January 7th, 2024, Omotobe said he has “completed the restructuring of the company and can heave a huge sigh of relief that our beloved company has finally been saved and given another chance to thrive and grow”, and used the medium to the announcement “the appointment of Mr. Adrian Wood as our new Managing Director, effective January 8th, 2024”.
Announcing the end of his tenor as the CEO/Managing Director of Natcom, Dr Omotoba said he will be joining the Board of the Company as a Non-Executive Director immediately thereafter.
Omotoba added, “My time with the company comes to an end, I am confident that the exceptional team we have built will continue to thrive under new leadership. I have full faith in your abilities to overcome challenges and drive the company to even greater heights.
“I also want to use this medium to inform you of the appointment of Mr. Adrian Wood as our new Managing Director, effective January 8th, 2024. I kindly ask each one of you to extend a warm welcome to Adrian as this transition will be crucial in ensuring a seamless handover and a successful start to this new chapter in our company’s journey.
“Adrian will be reaching out to each one of you individually in the coming days to introduce himself, share his vision, and gather insights from all of you. There will also be exco meetings. All the initial meetings will be virtual. I am confident that, under his leadership, our team will continue to achieve great things, the statement further said
