The impact of telecommunications operators’ business in the country goes beyond service delivery and expansion of telecommunications facilities to giving back to their immediate communities where they are operating. Also referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR), telecommunications operators have over the past eight years of liberalization of the sector contributed in no small measure in uplifting individuals, communities as well as supporting some government initiatives aside their core business of providing services to Nigerians.
There have been increased demands from employees, customers and government bodies for businesses to be more open about their activities and that they reach and maintain acceptable standards in their business practice.  For employers, CSR is now seen as an important way to increase competitive advantage, protect and raise brand awareness and build trust with customers and employees.
It is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. Ideally, CSR policy would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its adherence to law, ethical standards, and international norms. Business would embrace responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. Furthermore, business would proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality. Essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honoring of a triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Profit.
The practice of CSR is subject to much debate and criticism. Proponents argue that there is a strong business case for CSR, in that corporations benefit in multiple ways by operating with a perspective broader and longer than their own immediate, short-term profits. Critics argue that CSR distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window-dressing; others argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of government as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations.
In this regard virtually all telecommunications operators be they Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators have executed or are executing one CSR initiative or the other depending on their ability to do so.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations have revealed that MTN Nigeria has a broad approach in its corporate social responsibility initiative, expanding over different sphere of human endeavour.
The telecommunications giant having realized the importance of supporting groups and individuals making its business grow in the country established a foundation in 2004 four years after it launched service to focus corporate social responsibility initiative geared towards reducing poverty and foster sustainable development in Nigeria.
The focus of the foundation is to give back to society and impact the quality of lives in the communities where they operate in a meaningful and sustainable fashion.
For MTN, corporate social responsibility is about making a practical, positive impact on the lives of Nigerians. It affords the company the opportunity of understanding clearly the issues that concern the society and to intervene in the most critical areas.
In less than four years, MTNF has launched over 100 projects which are executed in collaboration with 26 partners in 107 sites across 28 of the 36 states in Nigeria. The projects are delivering tangible value to a growing number of beneficiaries where the company operates.  At the last count, MTNF’s projects were estimated to have touched and helped uplift the lives of over 1,000,000 people.
The SchoolsConnect project is implemented in collaboration with SchoolNet, a local NGO focused on ICT in education. This award-winning project has delivered digital laboratories that serve over 85,000 students and 3,800 teachers in more than 49 secondary schools in poor inner-city and rural communities across Nigeria.
Working with NetLibrary Nigeria, another NGO, MTNF has linked two top Nigerian universities – with one more on the way – to the world’s largest collection of digital resources from over 5,500 libraries and 300 publishers.  A typical online research library is equipped with 125 networked computers, servers, printers, photocopiers, alternative power supply, internet connectivity and a two-year subscription to electronic resources through NetLibrary’s network.  Based on the experience of the local environment and the need for sustainability, detailed written rules are pre-agreed and enforced with the institutions regarding the maintenance of the equipment and upkeep of the library premises.
MTNF is also partnering with UNICEF Child Friendly School Initiative (CSFI) to improve the quality of basic education.  In the first phase, the project has rehabilitated three schools in three states (Bauchi, Lagos and Delta) – providing water and sanitation, as well as text-books and writing and teaching materials to ensure a decent and conducive learning environment for young primary school children.
The MTNF- Partnership Against Aids in the Community (PAAC) is a private sector led initiative which adopts a multi-faceted approach in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  The project aims to raise awareness and educate approximately 30 million people through mass media and individual contact.  It also aims to provide counseling and testing to over 6,000 people, provide mother-to-child prevention to 600 women and provide capacity building for health care providers. In addition, two out of a projected six Voluntary Counseling Centres have been commissioned and 12 HIV/AIDS self-instruction screens have been installed in strategic locations across the country. The self-instruction screens provide information in English and major Nigerian languages. We believe that they are the first of their kind in Africa.
Through these and other projects, MTNF has acted as a catalyst for change in Nigeria’s evolving social and economic development landscape.  Elements of the MTNF model are now being studied and replicated by a growing number of corporate organizations in and outside the country.
Another telecommunications company Zain Nigeria, recently commissioned several projects worth $1,000,000.00 (one million USD) in University of Ibadan as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programmes and its brand philosophy of empowering Nigerians to enjoy a wonderful world.
The commissioned projects including a Solar Energy Centre, renovation of Mellanby Hall and construction of a Basketball Court in the Hall, and construction of Car Parks, convenience and offices on Oduduwa Road, are designed to help improve the lives and health of the University community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gamaliel Onosode, chairman of Zain Nigeria, said the projects was intended for improvement of infrastructure in the nation’s oldest University as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
The solar energy centre or Solar Module hub houses a series of photovoltaic panels which are capable of transforming solar radiation directly into electricity. The centre is capable of generating about 4.8 kilowatt-hour of electricity which will supply power the lighting system in a section of the campus including the University gate and Oduduwa Road.
The Gymnasium which is located at the University’s Sports centre is equipped with a vast array of modern exercise and fitness equipment including treadmill, free weight, trampohness, weight benches, walker, and electronic exercise bikes amongst other equipment. Also, the fitness facility house evaluation room where exercise pre-test such as resting and exercise ECG are conducted on those who intend to use the centre, particularly, the elderly, to determine their fitness level/ state of health and the type of exercise their body and heart condition can cope with before they are allowed to use the equipment.
University of Ibadan also emerged overall winner of this year’s edition of the Zain Africa Challenge.
For Globacom, affinity with the society is second nature. It has chosen sport as major focus of its corporate social responsibility initiative as the company wholesomely sponsors the Nigerian league, Super four league and Confederation of African Football Awards.
More so, Globacom partners with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) towards the eradication of poverty in the region. The programme, named Self Employment Business Support provides employment opportunities for youths in the region. The initiative is to empower Nigerians and help them become self reliant.
Visafone on its part is not left out as it flagged off its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative early this year with the presentation of some helmets and reflected jackets to some Okada riders. Visafone presented over 200 protective helmets and reflective jackets to Okada riders drawn from Victoria Island – Law school and Eko Hotel Roundabout units.
Working in conjunction with Arrive Alive, an NGO committed to ensuring the safety of motorists and road users across Nigeria, the Visafone official said it launched the initiative as a means of contributing to the safety of road users as well as cushioning the traumatic head injuries suffered by okada drivers who usually drive without helmets while also providing reflective jackets for night time operations.
Speaking at the event, Chike Nwaka, Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone II Head Quarters of the FRSC who was represented by Assistant Corps Commander, M. L Abdullahi commended Visafone for the initiative which he called a “timely and worthwhile venture that will reduce fatalities on our roads and protect the lives of both okada riders and their passengers.”
According to the company, the Bar Beach event is a pilot scheme and will be replicated across the state and country in due course.
Other telecommunications operators such as Etisalat, Zoom Mobile, Starcomms and Multi-Links Telkom have executed some corporate social responsibility projects aside products designed to give telecommunications access to less privilege people in the society. All these have positioned telecommunications operators among organizations that are helping in changing life of Nigerians through corporate social responsibility initiative.