On August 29, 2003, Globacom Limited, the nation’s second national carrier, officially commenced commercial operations, ending years of monopoly and ushering in a new era of competition.
At exactly 10:00am, the network went live with test calls in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, with Chairman Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. making the inaugural call from Glo’s headquarters on Mike Adenuga Street, Ikoyi.
“Today, Nigerians have a choice,” Dr. Adenuga said. “Globacom is here to make communication affordable, accessible, and truly Nigerian. We will cover every part of this country.”
Glo entered the market with aggressive introductory tariffs aimed at undercutting existing providers. The company announced per-second billing, free on-net calls within the first 30 days, and SIM cards sold at ₦1,500 — significantly lower than prevailing market prices.
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, granted Globacom its license in 2002 after a keenly contested bidding process. The company spent the last 14 months rolling out over 500 base stations across the six geopolitical zones.
Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mohammed Jibrin, told reporters that Glo’s network was built to reach rural communities often ignored by previous rollouts.
The entry of Globacom makes it the second national operator alongside NITEL, and the fourth GSM operator in the country after MTN, Econet, and NITEL’s M-Tel.
Communications Minister, Chief Mohammed Bello, who attended the launch, described it as “a bold statement of investor confidence in Nigeria.”
