L-R; Oluranti Owoborode, Senior Business Manager; Chioma Okolie, Lead, Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS); Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility; Erhumu Bayagbon, Head, Public Relations and Olusina Adegoke, Regional Operations Director, Lagos Region all of Airtel Nigeria at the Airtel Touching Lives Season 6 Media Launch in Lagos on Wednesday, July 14, 2021.
Airtel Nigeria Clarifies on License
By Daniels Ekugo
Airtel Network has issued a statement concerning the controversy around its operating license and social license which has generated a lot of speculations.
Thus, Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsiblity, Airtel Networks Limited said
“During the launch of our flagship corporate social responsibility program titled Airtel Touching Lives, last week, a contrast was drawn between operating license and social license.
“Whilst the operating license is issued by NCC, we stated that a social license is earned by what a company does for its communities. We are very proud of our Touching Lives Program which gives support to the less privileged in our communities.
” However, for clarity, an operating license is always issued by NCC and our current license expires in November 2021. We have applied to NCC for its renewal ahead of this expiry date and the renewal process is in progress but yet to be concluded.
The statement concluded “We look forward to working with our various communities on the 6th edition of our Airtel Touching Lives Program.”
Daniels and Airtel Reaffirms Commitment to Building Communities as it kicks off ‘Touching Lives Season 6’
Airtel Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering and uplifting vulnerable people, building communities and creating value for all its stakeholders as it announces the commencement of the sixth edition of its flagship CSR intervention, ‘Airtel Touching Lives 6’
Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday, 14th July, during a media launch of ‘Airtel Touching Lives 6’, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said a strong sense of purpose is driving Airtel Nigeria’s relentless focus on sustainable initiatives that can positively impact the various communities where it operates in.
According to Ogunsanya, purpose is powerful as it does not just define an individual or an entity, but drives its every action and decision. “In 2001, Airtel procured its operating license in Nigeria and in 2021 it has renewed the same operating license for another 10-year-period. While it is possible to procure and renew an operating license, you can only earn a social license.
“A social license is the love, loyalty, friendship and affection you get from the communities where you operate as well as from your different stakeholders. While Airtel has renewed its operating license to provide telecommunications services, it is committed to its purpose of empowering and uplifting people and making a positive and lasting impact in the lives of its stakeholders, thereby earning its social license.
“To realize this vision, the Airtel Touching Lives initiative was created to offer relief and hope to the underprivileged and downtrodden and also inspire the strong and the wealthy to support the vulnerable and the poor.”
The Airtel CEO also noted that Airtel Touching Lives 6 will continue to focus on the overall philosophy of the programme while taking cognizance of key events such as the global pandemic that has made life difficult for many people.
“In the last 16 months, our lives have dramatically changed with Covid-19 and its many variants and waves. In our approach for Season 6, we will pay attention to Covid-19 but we will also focus on education and other areas and we will not deviate from seeking out indigent and medically challenged persons who desperately need help,” he said.
Ogunsanya urged the public to be part of the initiative by nominating projects, persons and communities that require support.
According to him, “the nomination process is simple. Once you nominate an individual or cause, our team will review and assess the situation and determine if a follow-up visit will be required. The public can nominate individuals or projects in their communities by dialling 367 or by sending an SMS to the Shortcode, 367. Also mail can be sent to touchinglives@ng.airtel.com ”.
Currently in its 6th Season, Airtel Touching Lives is Airtel Nigeria’s flagship corporate philanthropy initiative aimed at providing succor to the underprivileged, hard to reach, vulnerable and disadvantaged in the society.
Airtel Touching Lives takes the format of a reality television show, allowing the public to nominate causes, communities and underprivileged persons/people with special needs. Airtel thereafter evaluates and selects the causes to support and the activities are filmed and broadcasted on terrestrial and satellite television stations with the aim of inspiring other corporate organizations as well as well-meaning individuals to join in supporting the weak across society.
Airtel Touching Lives is about real people, real stories and the real effort of a corporate organization to uplift the needy and underprivileged, emancipating thousands from the shackles of poverty, despair and hopelessness.
Through the programme, Airtel has refurbished an ICT centre for a large community, built modern water borehole systems for large communities, refurbished cancer centers, refurbished a Library for Blind people, rehabilitated an IDP Camp clinic facility, set up small scale trade for underprivileged persons, paid medical bills of underprivileged children and women and flown many persons abroad for treatment, among others
