Telecoms companies in the country are making plans to restore full services in some northern states where their facilities had been severely damaged through bombings and vandalism by members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect.
Our correspondent learnt that a portion of the funds recently raised by the four Global System of Mobile telecommunication firms for infrastructure upgrade and acquisition would be committed to rebuilding the networks in the North.
In September last year, telecoms services were disrupted in many parts of Borno, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe and Kano states following bombing of base stations by suspected terrorists.
The base stations belong to MTN, Airtel, Etisalat, Globacom, Starcoms, Helios Towers, IHS Towers and other operators.
Confirming this in an interview with our correspondent, the Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steven Evans, said, "Our planned network expansion will be pan-Nigerian and that includes the northern part of the country
"Doing business in Nigeria in the past year has had its challenges but we are happy with the progress we have made so far. Nigeria proffers investment opportunities to different companies and some are already setting up businesses in the country. This is very good for Nigeria because continued investment brings in employment and economic growth."
According to him, the company has made significant investments in Nigeria and has grown considerably.
Responding to enquiries from our correspondent, the Manager, Public Relations and Protocol, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Funso Aina, said plans by the firm to upgrade its network was national and cut across states in the North.
"It will cover the whole of the country, even the North," he stressed.
A source at Airtel Nigeria, who preferred not to be quoted, also told our correspondent that the amount committed to network upgrade by the firm this year would cover the North and other parts of the country.
The source said the firm remained committed to covering the country in its entirety and would not relent in doing the needful.
All of the GSM operators have taken decisions to invest hugely in their networks from this year, and different financing deals have been struck in this regard.
Airtel Nigeria is investing $1.5bn (N235.5bn) on network upgrade; Globacom, $1.25bn (N196.25bn); MTN Nigeria, N470bn (about $3bn); and Etisalat, $1.2bn.
In 2012, mobile network operators in the country lost about N75bn to the continuous bombings of their infrastructure as well as flooding, which ravaged some parts of the country recently.
At least 150 Base Transceiver Stations were lost to bombings and flooding that year.
