MTN Nigeria Announces New Spectrum Lease Agreement
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has confirmed that it will lease frequency spectrum from T2 Mobile Limited (formerly 9Mobile) beginning October 1, 2025.
According to a statement signed by Uto Ukpanah, FCIS, Company Secretary, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved the agreement.
The lease covers:
- 5MHz Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) in the 900MHz band
- 15MHz FDD in the 1800MHz band
The lease arrangement will run for three years.
Supporting National Roaming and Network Expansion
MTN highlighted that the spectrum lease complements its national roaming agreement with T2 Mobile, allowing T2 subscribers to access MTN’s infrastructure in areas where T2’s coverage is limited.
This collaboration enables MTN to handle the increased network traffic from T2’s customer base while maintaining service quality and improving broadband access across Nigeria.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, stated:
“We are delighted with this milestone, which aligns with our Ambition 2025 strategy. By leveraging additional spectrum resources, we are enhancing network capacity in a cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable way. This partnership fosters a collaborative telecom ecosystem that supports innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth.”
End of Previous Lease Agreements
MTN Nigeria also announced that it will not renew its existing one-year lease agreement with Natcom Development and Investment Ltd (Ntel).
The outgoing agreement, which expires on November 29, 2025, covers:
- 5MHz FDD in the 900MHz band
- 10MHz FDD in the 1800MHz band
across 17 states.
T2 Mobile’s Recent Subscriber Growth
T2 Mobile, which rebranded from 9Mobile, recorded its first subscriber gain of the year in July 2025, adding 290,601 new users. This growth was largely driven by its infrastructure-sharing agreement with MTN Nigeria.
Despite the gain, T2 Mobile remains the fourth-largest operator with a 1.61% market share, while MTN dominates with 52.7% share.
Overall, Nigeria’s active mobile subscriptions fell from 171.5 million in June to 169.1 million in July 2025, reducing the country’s teledensity from 79.22% to 78.11%, based on an estimated population of 216 million.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Telecom Sector
The spectrum lease agreement highlights MTN Nigeria’s commitment to:
- Expanding network capacity
- Supporting broadband growth
- Driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through partnerships
With national roaming, spectrum sharing, and the onboarding of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), MTN continues to foster collaboration and sustainability within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
