Telecoms firm, MTN that earlier announced the sell-down of 575 million shares in its Nigerian entity to shore up local content in its shareholding, said that the public offer was to make the company truly Nigerian and urged every Nigerian to take advantage of the opportunity to own a bit of the company.
   
While the nationwide roadshow started in Abuja on December 1, the next was held in Sokoto, where the telecommunications team offered Northern investors the opportunity to own a share of MTN.
   
At the occasion, as seven-month-old baby Abubakar Muhammad Jiddah, made history as the first subscriber of 20 shares, while another baby Hamida Sulaiman, who is a year old also purchased a tranche of 20 shares making her the second baby to hold a share in MTN from the state and its environs.
   
Abubarkar’s mother, Sadiya Sani Garba and Hamida’s mother Hafsat Abdulrasaq, at the event, indicated an interest in becoming a shareholder in the firm.
  
Addressing potential investors in Sokoto, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Olutokun Toriola, urged people from the region to embrace the opportunity which Modupe Kadri, Chief Financial Officer, MTN Nigeria described as democratized participation in share sales.
  
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and a former employee of MTN Nigeria, Bashir Mohammed Gidado, urged participants to inform their people to invest in MTN expressing happiness that MTN chose Sokoto state as the first port of call after launching the scheme in Abuja.
   
The occasion was graced by representatives of the Emirate, members of Kebbi and Sokoto chamber of commerce and other stakeholders within and outside Sokoto state.
  
With an estimated subscriber base of 69 million people in Nigeria, MTN, which was listed on the Nigerian Stock exchange two years ago, said the shares opportunity is open to everyone and its subscription will be technologically processed.