By Nigeria’s leading telecommunications company, MTN Nigeria, today in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria promised to offer commercial network infrastructure sharing privileges to challenged operator 9mobile to enable it drive efficient services to its subscribers across the country.
Using its widespread connectivity and network which covers the whole of the country, and with more coming, the yello brand signed an agreement which spans an initial term of three years, to allow 9mobile subscribers to access MTN’s extensive radio access network across the country, greatly enhancing coverage and service quality.
The Novel Agreement
During a joint-press parley, where details of the agreement were unveiled by the duo, MTN Nigeria, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Mrs Lynda Saint-Nwafor, described the partnership as a testament to MTN’s vision of “co-opetition”—collaborating where possible, competing where necessary.
She said: “We’re proud to be part of this historic initiative. It’s the first of its kind in Nigeria and reflects MTN’s commitment to deepening industry sustainability,” adding “We’re grateful to the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, for fostering an enabling environment for collaboration.”
According to her, the deal aligns with MTN’s Ambition 2025 Strategy, particularly its goal of creating shared value and expanding access to digital life.
In her words: “MTN has made significant investments in Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure. This agreement allows us to extend the reach of those investments and ensure that more Nigerians enjoy the benefits of a connected life-including 9mobile’s customers.” .
Saint-Nwafor added: “It’s a win-win situation. We’re cooperating on infrastructure, but we’re still competing on pricing, service delivery, and innovation. This is about driving customer value and operational efficiency-not creating a cartel.”
Elated Beneficiary
As as an elated beneficiary of the MTN Nigeria’s grand gesture, the Chief Executive Officer of 9mobile, Mr Obafemi Banigbe, while describing it as a transformative step for both companies and the industry at large said: “I’m sure many have been wondering whether the reports were true.
“Today, I’m excited to confirm that 9mobile has embarked on a significant commercial partnership with MTN,” Banigbe stated.
He added: “This agreement allows 9mobile subscribers to latch onto MTN’s radio access infrastructure nationwide, while maintaining 9mobile’s core network and service identity.”
While smiling about the all partnership. he said the deal is unprecedented in Nigeria and across West, Central, and East Africa, saying, “This is the first time such a collaboration is being implemented in this region. We are proud to be pioneers of a model that prioritizes efficiency and customer experience over duplication.”
When questions starts rolling-in, he quick to say that the it was Infrastructure Sharing, and Not Merger noting that this is a commercial infrastructure-sharing agreement-not a merger or coalition.
“In Nigeria, the term ‘coalition’ is often used in political contexts. This is purely a business arrangement grounded in mutual benefit,” he said. “It allows us to optimize service delivery without duplicating infrastructure, which is both costly and inefficient”, he said.”
However, mindful of how customers would perceive the new development, he assured 9mobile customers that the service has already undergone testing in select regions, with full national rollout expected by the end of July.
He said, “For our subscribers, the experience will be seamless,” Banigbe said. “If your line is active and linked with your NIN, you don’t need to re-register. Simply power on your phone, and you’ll connect to the 9mobile network, now backed by MTN’s infrastructure where applicable.”
Banigbe noted, “This deal ensures capital efficiency, helps us avoid unnecessary duplication, and enables us to provide better returns to our investors. As Nigeria prepares to grow to 400 million people within 20–25 years, we must be ready to meet their digital and communication needs-especially with 70% of that population being under 30.”
On the Same Page
Both brand confirm they are on the same page agreeing that the commercial partnership was not t a handout.
“This is not a case of freeloading. We’re paying for access to MTN’s infrastructure under a commercial framework that’s fair to both parties. Billing remains with 9mobile, and our subscribers remain 9mobile customers”, the 9mobile CEO noted.
For the benefactor, MTN Nigeria, the agreement in a broader global context, comparing it to the evolution of tower-sharing practices began in Nigeria in 2014.
“Back then, everyone built their own towers-often three or four masts in the same area. Today, we all share tower infrastructure. Now, we’re taking the next step by sharing radio infrastructure. This is global best practice. It reduces capital waste, improves service delivery, and allows operators to focus on customer needs,” said Saint-Nwafor
She however harped on the core operations such as service offerings, and customer relationships which remain distinct.
Confirming, Banigbe said: “Nigeria’s telecoms sector is one of the most capital-intensive in the country. We must constantly invest in capacity expansion to meet growing data demands. This partnership allows us to do that more efficiently-and to better serve our customers.”
