Lagos, Nigeria; November 25, 2009: Barely 48 hours after it won the 2009 Best Customer Care Operator in the Telecom industry, Zain Nigeria returned to the award circuit on Sunday (November 23) to receive the Best GSM Operator in Innovations and Service Delivery.

The Innovations and Service Delivery award was bestowed on the leading mobile operator by organizers of the African Information Society Merit Award (AISMA), a body comprising renowned technology professionals and seasoned telecommunications journalists.

The award’s organizers cited Zain Nigeria’s commitment to delivering exceptional service and its constant rollout of ground-breaking telecoms products and services within the decade as major reasons for its selection as the Best Telco Operator in Innovations and Service Delivery in Nigeria.

The body also noted that Zain has impacted positively on Nigeria’s burgeoning Information Communication Technology Sector within the last ten years, stressing that the company has contributed immensely to sustain the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Nigeria.

Specifically, the organizers commended the company for its groundbreaking, Zain One Network’ service, the world’s first borderless network. The service enables customers when abroad to receive voice calls and SMS (Short Message Service) without charge and to make voice and data calls at local rates throughout 22 countries in Africa and the Middle East. One Network allows customers to top up airtime in their home country or from more than 1,000,000 outlets within Zain’s ‘One Network’ footprint.

Commenting on the award, the Chief Executive officer, Zain Nigeria, Alain Sainte-Marie said the award is another endorsement of the company’s persistent efforts to satisfy its customers and empower Nigerians in line with its brand philosophy of “a Wonderful World”.

The ceremony was organized in collaboration with the Africa Independent Television (AIT) in Lagos at the weekend. It attracted several high profile guests including the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Alhassan Bako Zaku; Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Engineer Ernest Ndukwe, Publisher of Ovation International; Chief Dele Momodu, former Minister of Communications, Olawale Ige and Managing Director, DAAR Communications, Mrs. Tosin Dokpesi, amongst several others.

About 18 individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contribution to Nigeria's burgeoning ICT sector in the last 10 years was also recognised, as part of the celebration of 10 years of AIT InfoTech Network.

According to the co-ordinator of the awards commitee, Mr. Bayero Agabi, the awardees for the Africa Information Society Merit Award include public and private sector players that have through individual and corporate efforts, improved Nigeria's stake in the global ICT space.