NTEL has launched WakaGo, a global eSIM service, and AirFibre, a wireless broadband offering, to reduce roaming costs for Nigerian travellers and expand internet access to businesses and underserved communities. The company said it was using these products alongside infrastructure sharing and existing telecommunications assets to rebuild its network and improve connectivity across the country.
WakaGo is designed to keep Nigerians connected while travelling abroad without purchasing local SIM cards at their destinations, according to NTEL's Chief Technology Officer, Kingsley Uwazie. The service allows users with compatible devices to access mobile data for internet services, including WhatsApp calls and messaging, while keeping their primary SIM cards active for regular calls. Uwazie said the service operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, allowing customers to pay for usage without being locked into a particular country or fixed bundle. He cited customer experiences in Japan, the United States and China as evidence of the service's potential, including a traveller who used WakaGo to make a video call from a crowded stadium in New York.
AirFibre, the wireless broadband service, addresses the high cost of extending fibre-optic connections to homes and offices, as well as disruptions from frequent fibre cuts. Uwazie explained that the technology can deliver speeds of up to 1.2 gigabits per second per link, while NTEL's network points of presence can carry more than 12 gigabits per second in capacity. The service currently exists in Lagos and Abuja as a trial phase, with plans to expand to Ibadan, Abia State and Benin before rolling out to other cities. Internet service providers will be able to use NTEL's wireless infrastructure to reach customers without undertaking expensive fibre deployments.
NTEL said it would also leverage infrastructure sharing and national roaming to extend mobile coverage, while satellite services would support connectivity in rural and underserved communities. Uwazie said the company was rebuilding its business through its BET strategy, which focuses on telecommunications infrastructure, real estate and digital services. He added that no single technology can solve Nigeria's connectivity challenges and that the company aims to extend trust through gradual expansion.
For Nigerian travellers and businesses seeking affordable internet access outside major fibre corridors, NTEL's new services offer alternatives to expensive roaming charges and costly fibre installation.