Gambia - Globacom is the sixth operator, adding to licences in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Senegal and Ivory Coast

[africa news] Gambia has become the sixth African country to host the continental telecommunications giant, Globacom. The company, a 100 percent Nigerian owned, received its sixth license, on Monday, to operate in Gambia, just four months after it won a similar license in neighbouring Senegal.

Glo which presently operates in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, Ivory Coast and Senegal, prides itself as one of the fastest growing multi-national carrier in the world with the vision of becoming the biggest and best carrier on the African continent.

In the words of the Glo Executive Director, Adewale Sangowawa, the Gambia license would enable the telecommunications giant to stimulate world class telecommunication services in the country.

“The new licence adds impetus to our desire to provide the West African sub-region an excellent communication network and a cost-effective voice, data, video and e-commerce services. It underscores our resolve to build for Africa a network that will provide the most comprehensive international communication services to bridge the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the World.” Sangowawa stated.

With a population of just over 1.5 million, Gambia, the smallest country in main land Africa, boasts of a highly competitive telecommunications industry, with four GSM operators, compared to bigger neighbours like Mali, with a population of 14 million, which has only two.

However, Gambia’s national telecommunications company, GAMTEL, which was once a sub regional pride, has been experiencing a downward trend in its successes. But this latest development is expected reposition it on its past glory and brings the competition to a whole new level in terms of international calling rates and cheaper and more reliable voice, internet and data services for Gambians.

With its gigantic trans-Atlantic submarine cable, Glo 1, Globacom has the right to carry traffic for major operators, the Gambian government and wholesale customers in the country.

Accordingly, it also has the opportunities to extend the infrastructure to neighboring countries.

“With this development, the people of Gambia have now been positioned to be part of the telecommunications revolution which Globacom is bringing to Africa,” a statement by the company said.

It added that the Glo 1 submarine cable which is about to be commissioned will connect Nigeria to the United Kingdom through Mauritania, Morocco and other 16 West African countries with dedicated extension to the United States. And with an ultimate capacity of 2.5 terabits per second, the facility will provide transmission capacity which will radically change Nigeria and Africa’s economic landscape, by providing unprecedented high speed internet services, and make telecom services much faster, more reliable and cheaper for consumers.

Gambia gets new telecom company