Joyce Onwuka
In a landmark move set to redefine Nigeria’s telecom landscape, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile) have officially announced the rollout of their national roaming agreement, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The three-year agreement enables 9mobile subscribers to roam seamlessly on MTN Nigeria’s expansive network, significantly extending 9mobile’s coverage and improving service quality for its customers. The partnership signals a shift toward greater industry collaboration, aligning with the NCC’s vision for a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem.
Beyond infrastructure sharing, the agreement drives greater operational efficiency, stronger connectivity, and an enhanced user experience. It also paves the way for deeper collaboration between the two telcos, most notably a proposed spectrum leasing deal, in which 9mobile will lease its 900MHz (5MHz) and 1800MHz (15MHz) bands to MTN for three years, further strengthening MTN’s network capacity and service quality.
“This partnership marks a bold resurgence for 9mobile,” said Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of 9Mobile. “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.”
Banigbe acknowledged the leadership of Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and the leadership of the NCC, for enabling such progressive industry collaboration, and Dr. Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, for his advocacy of a resource-efficient, consumer-first telecom ecosystem.
“In today’s telecom environment, access is more strategic than ownership,” Banigbe added. “Access to infrastructure is now more important than ownership,” Banigbe added. “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,” he concluded”
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, described the agreement as a milestone for the 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 also praised Dr. Tijani’s efforts in promoting meaningful collaboration as a key driver of digital access, service quality, and nationwide inclusion.
This pioneering agreement sets a new benchmark for infrastructure sharing in Nigeria. It exemplifies how competitors can collaborate to address systemic challenges, reduce redundancies, and collectively transform the industry—ultimately delivering broader coverage, better service, and faster access to emerging technologies for Nigerian consumers.