Coleman Wires & Cables Invests $170m on Fibre Cable Plant to Boost 5G Technology Rollout

Ahead of the rollout of 5G technology network in Nigeria by the telecommunications operators, Nigeria’s foremost wire and cable manufacturer, Coleman Wire and Cable Limited, has invested $170 million for the manufacture of fibre cable.

The company, which started making the investment before the rave of the 5G technology began in the country and even before the award of the 5G technology spectrum license by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to MTN Nigeria Plc., and Mafab Communication Limited, is in the second phase of the project due for launch this June.

In an interview with TechTV  in Lagos, South-West Nigeria, Executive Director of Coleman Wire & Cable Industries Limited, Michael Onafowokan, said the company invested $50 million into the completed first phase of the project that will put an end to the stress that operators go through importing fibre.

For instance, he said that there has been a gap in the supply of fibre cable in the industry to use saying that the fibre is not available and when it is available, it is very expensive for the operators to buy.

According to him, Coleman Wire and Cable is in the second phase of the fibre manufacturing plant worth about $90 million adding that the plant is set for unveiling this month.

Onafowokan revealed that Coleman Wire and Cable is in talks with the with telecoms operators stating that the discussion is very fruitful and going in the right direction.

He said that once the plant begins full production, it will put an end to the stress that operators go through when they import fibre adding even after making payment for the fibre they still had to wait for another six months to one year before the arrival of the product.

He added that with the production of fibre by the Coleman Wire and Cable, the operators will no longer have to look for Dollars to import fibre since they will be paying with the Naira.

He assured that Coleman Wire and Cable Limited is poised towards addressing the deficit that the industry presently face with the rollout of the 5G network across the country as far as fibre is concerned.

According to him, Coleman Wire and Cable has been in the industry since 1975 having pioneered the manufacture of wire and cables in Nigeria saying that Coleman Wire and Cable is the first to produce high tension cable and broadcast cable.

Onafowokan further disclosed that his company is the first and only producer of marine cable in the country.

On what has kept Coleman Wire and Cable going over the years, he said that the company has over the years been improving on its technology and ensuring that it delivers on standard and world quality to be able to compete globally adding that it has strived to make its products affordable to all users in the country.