MTN, 9mobile announce groundbreaking infrastructure partnership to boost telecom services

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile) have announced a major national roaming agreement that is set to reshape Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape.

The three-year agreement, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), allows 9mobile subscribers to seamlessly roam on MTN Nigeria’s network. This development will significantly improve 9mobile’s coverage and service quality across the country.

According to a press statement released on Thursday, the collaboration signals a new era of industry cooperation and aligns with the NCC’s drive for a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem.

Beyond national roaming, the agreement also includes plans for a spectrum leasing deal, under which 9mobile will lease its 900MHz (5MHz) and 1800MHz (15MHz) spectrum bands to MTN for three years. This is expected to further boost MTN’s network capacity and quality of service.

Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of 9mobile, described the agreement as a “bold resurgence” for the company.

“It empowers us to meet the needs of our customers, especially youthful and enterprise users, by delivering consistent, high-quality service as we roll out city by city in the weeks ahead,” he said.

Banigbe commended Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the NCC and Bosun Tijani, honourable minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, for their roles in enabling the partnership.

“In today’s telecom environment, access is more strategic than ownership,” he stated.

“Rather than duplicating networks, we’re investing in access that is commercially viable and sustainable. Network infrastructure typically accounts for 70–75% of an operator’s costs; savings here mean we can reinvest in innovation and customer experience. At 9mobile, our mantra is simple: build infrastructure where necessary, share it where possible.”

Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, also hailed the partnership as a milestone in the telecom sector.

“This collaboration underscores our commitment to industry innovation, customer-centricity, and support for the NCC’s goal of a fully connected Nigeria,” said Toriola. “It reflects our shared value philosophy, prioritizing partnerships that benefit the entire ecosystem.”

Toriola further acknowledged Tijani’s efforts in driving meaningful collaboration within the industry to enhance digital access, service quality and national inclusion.

The agreement is being regarded as a landmark move that sets a new benchmark for infrastructure sharing in Nigeria’s telecom space.

It demonstrates how competition can give way to collaboration in tackling structural challenges, reducing costs and improving services for millions of users.