ABUJA?-- The Chinese telecommunications and network solution firm ZTE is set to partner with the United Arab Emirate telecommunication service provider, Etisalat, to provide network transformation as well as sustainable and robust growth of the company in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation.

ICT business consultant of China's ZTE Ahtasham Rabbani told a workshop audience in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, that the West African nation still has a long way to go in 3G connection and smartphone operation, hence the need for the Chinese firm to collaborate with Etisalat to improve network infrastructure and weak control on channels.

"To survive in the big data era, operators need to size the business model and build a strong, smart and cost-efficient network. To develop the 3G connections, it involves a terminal strategy and high-tech services. The 3G package needs to be explored a lot in Nigeria," said Rabbani, a Pakistani, who has worked with China-based ZTE for over six years.

He said the telecoms sector is fast advancing to the big data era globally and Nigeria should not lag behind in the advancement.

For proper and improved services, the UAE telecoms firm needs to keep a balanced 2G connections and Average Revenue Per User growth in Nigeria before gradually penetrating the 3G market, he added.

Having only 13 percent of mobile phone subscribers in Nigeria and currently facing a lot of challenges as the fourth mobile telecommunications operator in the country, one of the 15 members of the regional ECOWAS bloc, the UAE telecoms company has achieved some laudable feats including an aggressive mobile connection growth, according to Rabbani.

"ZTE is the only vendor to provide big solutions to all the problems, judging by our track records across the world," he stressed, noting the firm had also collaborated with South Africa's MTN, known as the largest telecommunication network provider in Nigeria and Globacom, the Nigeria's indigenous telecoms firm, also known as the second largest network provider in the country.

On his own part, manager of Etisalat's mobile operations, Ashraf Aljaru, said the collaboration between ZTE and the UAE telecoms firm will yield fruitful results, considering the high level of commitments involved.

While Etisalat is regarded as one of the mainstream mobile phone operators in Nigeria and Africa, ZTE is a trailblazer in more than 100 countries across the world.