Have you won your million?

While many still battle the fact that telecoms poor quality of service in the country still persists, however, as a way of putting smiles into the faces of telecoms subscribers, operators have continued to outdo one another by dolling out millions of naira to reward them.

Many Nigerian telephone subscribers may not be happy with the level of the quality of service offered by the telecom operators. To them, though the coming of GSM to Nigeria ought to have been seen as blessing making them to connect to the rest of the world, the persistent poor quality of service across the networks has been a sort of pain to them. For that, there is no reason to cheer. But as the yuletide approaches, it appears the subscribers are really not bothered with service quality that has indeed, not improved despite threat of reprimand by the Nigerian communication commission, NCC.

What appears to have stolen the show is ongoing shower of naira offered subscribers by the GSM service providers. Apparently, in what has been described as a way of rewarding the over 90 million subscribers, telecos such as MTN, Airtel, Glo, and Etisalat have in the past few months been giving Nigerians reasons to smile, offering Nigerians chances of becoming instant millionaires through the latest register, recharge and win promos.

As a way of encouraging subscribers participate in the ongoing SIM registration exercise, telecom operators have ceaselessly dangled the carrot, in form of million naira worth of credit and in some cases, cash payments to subscribers. To subscribers, this is a season of payback. As a matter of fact, one thing that seems commendable about the promotions is the fact that unlike in the past when Nigerians complained of being fl eeced by telecom companies for charging them for taking part in such array of promos, subscribers do not need to part with any money to participate in the promo.

As a matter of fact, all subscribers who have registered their SIM cards are automatically eligible to win the mouthwatering millions of naira carrot. In the past, such a promo would have cost subscribers between N100 and N200 per text message. For etisalat, in its own 9ja Free Credit Promo, subscribers who register their SIMs were given 30 per cent bonus airtime for recharges made within 30 days, while Globacom gave out several millions of naira to a number of its subscribers, just because they registered their SIMs. A total of 36 people won in the fi rst batch of the promo meant to encourage subscribers to register their SIM cards. Some of the rewards include N1 million cash and free trips to Manchester, United Kingdom or Dubai.

The same story goes for Airtel. Just last week, while resting the promo tagged KYC, the network announced that it has made many Ni gerians millionaires.

But then, MTN subscribers seem to be having the biggest smile. In what has been described as the biggest reward so far in any sector, MTN stands out in its N1 billion promo. Under the promo, lucky ten subscribers take home N10 million each every ten days while over 900 other lucky people are being given the sum of N100, 000 each. When the promo was rolled out, it was certain that many would have been pessimistic about it not anticipating the impact it would make in the lives of many Nigerians, especially the indigent, downtrodden and unemployed.

Perhaps, the management of MTN on their own might not also have envisaged the leap and boost it was creating for the Nigerian economy particularly, in the areas of capacity building, empowerment and transformation of the lives of winners of the staggering N1 billion reward scheme. But today, the Nigerias biggest reward ever has been transforming the lives of Nigerians. From unemployed graduates to indigent students, from the artisans on the fringes and the petty traders on the urban sidewalks, MTN has been enriching lives with such fat reward for loyalty to a brand that has continued to shape the Nigeria business universe since its arrival as a colossal in the Nigeria market in 2001.

The mega reward might not have come as a surprise to many. In line with its policy and commitment of giving back to the community, MTN over the last ten years has made tremendous social and economic impact in Nigeria. With numerous support and sponsorships, ranging from health, sports, entertainment, fashion, youth development, housing etcetera; MTN has not only delight its customers, it has surpassed customers expectations in the area of corporate social responsibility and sponsorship.

To many key stakeholders in Nigeria, the ongoing MTN N1 big reward for SIM registration has been described in many ways. From the public sector to the traditional rulers, from the average men to the noble, it has been encomium and praises all the way.

At the fi rst presentation in September in Lagos, NCC, the regulatory agency, through its representative, Okechukwu Aninweke gave its backing to the leading telecoms giant for its tremendous contributions to the socio-economic development of Nigeria. In his endorsement of the MTN N1 Billion Reward scheme, Aninweke, said We have had ten years of GSM in Nigeria and many reward programs have come and gone but this is the first time I am hearing of a one billion naira giveaway.
I consider myself privileged to witness this great event. I was here yesterday for the draw which we all witnessed. I want to commend MTN for the level of this reward program, it is indeed impressive .

According to him, we are driving the telecom sector; the operators like MTN are leading the pathway for the big revolution in telecommunications in Nigeria; for this I want to thank MTN for the Big Reward to the lucky winners. Gift Azubuike, a hair dresser in Ojota, a suburb of Lagos, is one of the fi rst set of lucky winners.

She won herself a staggering sum of N10 million in the Lagos draw. When the N10 million cheque was presented to her, she could not hold her tears as she was full of emotions. At fi rst, Gift could not believe it as at the fi rst instance; can this be true? was the fi rst question that fl ew through her mind. In her words, she said. I did not believe the caller when he said that I have won N10 million from a draw which held that very day. I wanted to cut off the phone because I thought it was one of the numerous 419 tricks, but the caller, a female asked me to keep cool and hear her out .

However, despite the assurance from the caller, Gift was not done. After the call, I told my brother that someone called that I have won N10 million in the MTN draw and asked me to come to MTN offi ce the next day. My brother said that I should not go; he was against it and warned me seriously against going simply because he feared I was being set up. However, when I relayed the message of the call to my friends, against my brothers stand, they urged me on.

They told me its worth trying. They said I should pray before going, if it turns out to be fake, at least, I can return to the house and my work, the important thing is my safety, but at least I can try it. She told Megacrown Infor . It was however a new dawn for Gift as she got to the MTN office, where she was actually announced as a winner of N10 million. According to her, the N10 million would defi nitely go a long way in establishing her in the profession.

In fact, according to her, her entire life would change as she would not only build her salon to an international standard but also expand the outfi t and invest in other lucrative business. Gift has not been the only one in this state of ecstasy. It has been the same story with all the winners of the millions of naira. Oladapo Simeon, a student of University of Lagos is another winner in the Lagos draw. Like Gift, also, the call from MTN to inform him as N10 million winner came to him as a huge joke.
The 23 year old student said; I was eating at home at about 6:15pm on Sunday evening when a lady called me. The call came and after some scrutiny, the lady at the other end of the phone said congratulations, you emerged one of our winners in a draw that was held earlier today , talking about the on-going MTN Mega draw. Initially, I never believed but on checking and realizing the number calling me was the MTN call centre number 180, it reassured me and I began to imagine things. But my mind was still thumping -could it be true . It was indeed true and eventually opened a new lease of life for him as he found out, he later testifi ed to this when he said; My mum and every member of the family feel great up till this moment because this is a perfect turn around for us in the family.
In fact there will be a thanksgiving in the Church for this great miracle and favour that the Lord has shown me .

In the Benin leg of the MTN making of millionaires, the story is very emotive. The presentation in Benin threw up a very emotional story of Hannah Onaribor. Hannah until recently was a secondary school leaver. Hannah fi nished his secondary education in 2007 at St. Vincent College, Okwagbe, in Ughelli Local Government Area of Delta State.

Afterwards, she was sent to Lagos by her parents to serve as a house girl to a couple. She had gone to do this menial job so that she could raise money to further her education. A few weeks to her emergence as a winner in the MTN N1 billion big rewards, without an inkling of what lies ahead of her, she left Lagos in frustration, when after some years, her dream of a higher education seemed to have come to nought. Just as Hannah was dropping the ambition of higher education, having returned to Okwagbe her native town to join her mother, Patricia Onaribor in her petty trading, mother luck smiled on her as MTN changed her life story to from Zero to Hero .

She carted home a whooping sum of N10 million in the Benin-leg of the N1 billion big reward presentation. In an apparent display of support for the MTN, the Oba of Benin, Omo n Oba n Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa while receiving the winners in his palace poured encomium on MTN for enriching the lives of his people. That seems to have been a great endorsement for the Telecommunications giant. As some stakeholders put it, this has demonstrated that MTN is not only developing the telecom market in Nigeria, it is fast becoming a real partner in the development of human capital and also accelerating the growth and development of the Nigerian youths through its strong bias for the youth segment.

For 17 year old secondary school student, Master Nnaechebe Ozuluoha, joining the stream of millionaires, is a life changing experience. As Ozuluoha was announced a proud owner of N10 million in the Mega Reward Promo, his parents turned the Bridge Waters Hotel, Enugu, venue of the 4th prize presentation for MTN 1 Billion Naira Mega Reward promo to another praise camp, singing and dancing to the glory of God. The teenage millionaire alongside nine others was presented with cheques for N10 million each. Describing their experience, the new winners said they were surprised and highly elated to be among the lucky subscribers to be rewarded with ten million naira each.

According to Ozuluoha, a student of Christ the King College, Onitsha, Anambra State, he received the phone call notifying him that he won with excitement: I have heard a lot about the MTN N1billion reward so when I saw a call from 180 , the MTN customer care number, I was thrilled to receive the news, he said. Another N10 million winner, Doyinmola Ayeni, a trader from Kwara State was no less excited about her win in the reward scheme. I have never seen such money in my life, she enthused.
This is certainly a life-changing experience for me and my family as I can now be rest assured that my children will have the best education available, she said. In Kano, among the lucky winners of the ten billion naira promo was Kande Waziri, a Library Science Student of the University of Maiduguri, who received a cheque of N10 million at the sixth prize presentation ceremony in the ancient commercial city of Kano, the Kano State capital. Like others, she was full of praises for MTN. Expressing her gratitude to MTN, Waziri said: I feel so loved and appreciated by this gesture because I didnt have to participate in any competition nor increase my calls. I only registered my MTN SIM and continued using it as usual and yet I was chosen to win N10 million.

Others who also won the mega prize were Funmilola Adebisi, a business man based in Kano State; Remi Odiase, an Abujabased seamstress; Stephen Umoh, a businessman also in Kano. While 15 others also won N100, 000 each, invited guests (MTN subscribers) were not left out as each was rewarded with N10, 000. MTN Master Brand Manager, Innocent Oboh, who represented the Consumer Marketing Manager, Kola Oyeyemi, while charging subscribers to register their SIM cards in order to stand a chance to win in any of the forthcoming prize presentations said, Our goal at MTN is to make Nigerians richer by creating opportunities for them to achieve their dream and the MTN N1 Billion Mega reward is a clear demonstration of that resolve He said.

The reward scheme which commenced in Lagos on September 19, this year, Oboh reaffi rmed is to say thank you to its subscribers for 10 years of patronage and to encourage them to participate in the SIM registration exercise. While Oboh revealed that the promo has since produced 60 ten million naira winners, for many other subscribers, question on their lips obviously of course has been when would my turn to become millionaire come?