Ololade Adeyanju/
In a move to reshape Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile) have signed a three-year national roaming agreement, officially approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The deal enables 9mobile subscribers to roam on MTN’s vast national network, expanding 9mobile’s coverage footprint and improving service delivery across the country. The partnership marks a major shift towards strategic collaboration in a sector long dominated by infrastructure competition.
According to both companies, the agreement is more than just a roaming arrangement—it lays the groundwork for deeper cooperation. A key component includes a proposed spectrum lease in which 9mobile will lease parts of its 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands to MTN for three years. This move is expected to significantly enhance MTN’s network capacity and elevate user experience.
“This partnership marks a bold resurgence for 9mobile,” said Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of 9mobile. “It empowers us to deliver consistent, high-quality service, especially to youth and enterprise users, as we roll out city by city.”
Banigbe emphasized that “access is more strategic than ownership,” stressing that network infrastructure—which typically accounts for up to 75% of an operator’s cost—can be better utilized through smart sharing. “Our mantra is simple: build infrastructure where necessary, share it where possible.”
MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola, echoed this sentiment, calling the partnership a milestone for the telecom industry. “It underscores our commitment to customer-centric innovation and supports the NCC’s vision for a fully connected Nigeria,” he said. “This kind of collaboration delivers value not just for the parties involved, but for the entire ecosystem.”
Both executives applauded the roles of the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, and Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, for enabling progressive policies and promoting resource efficiency across the industry.
Industry experts have hailed the deal as a strategic response to the demands of a digital-first economy and a model for future partnerships in the sector. The agreement is expected to reduce duplication of infrastructure, optimize costs, and accelerate the rollout of next-generation technologies to underserved areas.
As telecoms operators face rising operational costs and pressure to improve connectivity, this collaboration could signal the beginning of a more cooperative era in Nigeria’s digital economy—where strategic alliances replace turf wars, and shared infrastructure drives national progress.
0Related posts:
FG Presents Buhari’s Scorecard
Facebook Seeks Partnership with NCC for Digital Infrastructure Deployment
CBN vs MTN: Court Hears Applications on $8.1B Fine for ‘Scam’ in December
How Police Used Telecom Surveillance to Lure, Arrest Journalists
Internal Security Dynamics and the Imperative of a New Policing Thought in Nigeria
WorldStage Summit 2020: Ameachi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Danbatta, others Root for Economic Diversification